Rank-matric codes are codes that live in a vector space that is endowed with a different metric than the Hamming metric: in the rank-metric the distance between two codewords, represented as matrices over a smaller field, is defined as the rank of their difference.

The theory of rank-metric codes has interesting connections to many topics in discrete mathematics and promissing applications to code-based cryptography and network coding.

In this seminar work, the student will study properties and constructions of rank-metric codes and one or more applications. The goal is to understand and summarize parts of the following papers:

[1] H. Bartz, L. Holzbaur, H. Liu, S. Puchinger, J. Renner, A. Wachter-Zeh (2022). “Rank-Metric Codes and Their Applications”. arXiv: 2203.12384  https://arxiv.org/pdf/2203.12384.pdf 

[2] K. Marshall, (2016). “A study of cryptographic systems based on Rank metric codes”, Dissertation, University of Zurich  https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/127105/1/Diss%20Kyle.pdf

[3] T. Randrianarisoa, (2018). “Rank metric codes, codes using linear complexity and applications to public key cryptosystems”, Dissertation, University of Zurich  https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/153545/1/153545.pdf

[4] E. Gorla (2019). “Rank-metric codes”. arXiv: 1902.02650  https://arxiv.org/pdf/1902.02650.pdf

[5] E. Gorla and A. Ravagnani. (2018). “Codes endowed with the rank metric”. In: Network Coding and Subspace Designs. Springer. 3–23.  https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-319-70293-3.pdf 

In this thesis, the student will study and summarize the most recent code-based digital signature schemes based on the syndrome decoding problem

In this thesis, the student will study the mathematics of linear codes and how they can be used to design cryptosystems.