Douglas StebilaView profile
Associate Professor
Douglas Stebila is an Associate Professor in the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization at the University of Waterloo, Faculty of Mathematics. His research focuses on cryptographic protocols, with an emphasis on post-quantum cryptography, TLS protocol security, and key exchange mechanisms. He has contributed to the design and analysis of cryptographic systems resilient to quantum computing threats, including work on hybrid key exchange methods and post-quantum TLS implementations. Stebila is involved in standards projects such as the Open Quantum Safe initiative, aiming to transition existing infrastructure to quantum-resistant algorithms. His recent work addresses security models for cryptographic protocols, including formal verification of key establishment schemes and analysis of real-world protocols like Signal and TLS. His research spans theoretical cryptography, applied protocol analysis, and implementation security. Key contributions include studies on obfuscated key exchange, verifiable decapsulation of post-quantum KEMs, and optimization of TLS handshake efficiency (e.g., TurboTLS). He also explores challenges in cryptographic protocol design, such as preventing double authentication and ensuring resistance against side-channel attacks. His work frequently bridges academic research with practical applications, emphasizing the transition of cryptographic innovations into real-world systems. Stebila collaborates with industry and academic partners on projects like the Open Quantum Safe initiative, which develops libraries for post-quantum cryptography integration. His publications often address security analyses of emerging protocols and their vulnerability to both classical and quantum adversaries. He has co-authored conference proceedings for major venues like CRYPTO and SAC, and contributed to standards documentation for protocols such as TLS and SSH.
