Quantum Computing Lecture Series

Post-Quantum Cryptography: Securing communication in the Quantum Era

By Freja Elbro, Alexandra Institute 

  • Online via Microsoft Teams
  • 23 June 2026, 14:00-15:00
  • Structure: 45-minute lecture followed by 15 minutes of Q&A
  • Participation is free
  • Organizers: DIREC and the Alexandra Institute
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We are pleased to present this lecture as part of the DIREC Quantum Computing Lecture Series, which aims to introduce computer scientists to key research challenges and opportunities at the intersection of quantum computing and computer science. 
 


Quantum computers could one day break many of the cryptographic systems we rely on today. 

In this lecture, Freja Elbro introduces the foundations of post-quantum cryptography, the part of cryptography that develops and analyzes systems believed to remain secure against quantum attacks.

The talk compares four key exchange mechanisms: the NIST selections ML-KEM and HQC, as well as Classic McEliece and FrodoKEM, which are currently being standardized by ISO. 

  • How do they work, and what do their differences mean for performance?
  • What is our confidence in their security?
  • And what questions are we still looking for answers to? 

Technical level 


The talk is technically oriented and assumes some familiarity with vectors, matrices, linear equations, and modular arithmetic. The core ideas should also be accessible to anyone with a general interest in computer science.  

Recording notice 

Thelecture will be recorded and published as part of the DIREC Quantum Computing Lecture Series. The recording will be made freely available to support learning and knowledge sharing within the quantum computing community. 

 

Bio 

Freja Elbro is a security architect at the Alexandra Institute, where she works with quantum-safe cryptography and security analysis. She holds a PhD from DTU in post-quantum cryptography. In her PhD, she worked on attacking cryptographic schemes built on hard problems from error-correcting codes.