Secondary School of Engineering and Higher Professional School, Liberec
teacher of technical subjects
2023–present
Homeroom teacher and teacher of technical subjects
- digital design
- microprocessor technology
- electronics
- operating systems and hardware
Petr Socha
computer scientist · teacher · researcher · musician
cybersecurity · side-channel analysis · embedded systems · digital design
Overview
Professional Experience
Current positions and selected previous professional experience.
Current Positions
Primary School Liberec, Broumovská
lower-secondary teacher
2022–present
Computer science teacher, ICT coordinator, and school curriculum coordinator
Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Information Technology
teaching and research position
2015–present
Research and teaching activities
- 2026–present: assistant professor
- 2022–2025: research scientist
- 2020–2022: lecturer
- 2015–2022: teaching assistant
Previous Experience
Self-employment
IT-related business activities
2012–2019
Development and maintenance of websites, networks, and user support.
Education and Qualifications
Academic education in computer science and supplementary pedagogical education.
Ph.D. / doctoral studies
Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Information Technology
2019–2023
Doctoral studies in computer science and side-channel cryptanalysis.
- Dissertation: Side-Channel Security of Embedded Devices
- Supervisors: Martin Novotný, Vojtěch Miškovský
Pedagogical studies
Technical University of Liberec, Faculty of Science, Humanities and Education
2024–2026
Pedagogical studies for lower-secondary school teachers and secondary school teachers, delivered by the Centre for Lifelong Learning of the Faculty of Science, Humanities and Education at the Technical University of Liberec.
Ing. / master's studies
Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Information Technology
2016–2019
Master's studies in the programme Design and Programming of Embedded Systems.
- Master's thesis: Software Toolkit for Side-Channel Analysis
- Supervisor: Vojtěch Miškovský
Bc. / bachelor's studies
Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Information Technology
2013–2016
Bachelor's studies in the programme Computer Engineering.
- Bachelor's thesis: Car Dashboard Model
- Supervisor: Miroslav Skrbek
Research and Publications
Research focus and a link to the complete list of publications.
Research topics include cybersecurity, side-channel analysis, embedded systems, and related experimental tools.
Selected Publications
A Comprehensive Survey on the Non-Invasive Passive Side-Channel Analysis
Sensors, 22, 8096, 2022.
Equivalent Keys: Side-Channel Countermeasure for Post-Quantum Multivariate Quadratic Signatures
Electronics, 11, 3607, 2022.
High-Level Synthesis, Cryptography, and Side-Channel Countermeasures: A Comprehensive Evaluation
Microprocessors and Microsystems, 85, 104311, 2021.
Side-Channel Attack on Rainbow Post-Quantum Signature
2021 Design, Automation & Test in Europe Conference & Exhibition (DATE), pp. 565–568. IEEE, 2021.
Supervision
Supervised and consulted student theses and projects.
Maturita Theses and Student Projects
Maturita and Year Projects
secondary-school level
47 supervised maturita and year projects. Selected topic examples are listed below.
- Centralized access control system with a web interface
- In-car information display
- Design of a RISC-V microcontroller on FPGA
- Computer mouse on FPGA
- Quantum computing
Bachelor's and Master's Theses
Selected supervised university theses.
Implementation of the signature scheme Rainbow on SoC FPGA
Tomáš Přeučil · master's thesis (MSc.) · Uppsala University
2021
Master's thesis focused on the implementation of the Rainbow post-quantum signature scheme on SoC FPGA.
- Role: supervisor
- Level: master's thesis
- Institution: Uppsala University, Sweden
Side-channel analysis of Rainbow post-quantum signature
David Pokorný · master's thesis (Ing.) · CTU in Prague
2021
Master's thesis focused on side-channel analysis of the Rainbow post-quantum signature scheme.
- Role: supervisor
- Level: master's thesis
- Institution: CTU in Prague
Effect of signal-to-noise ratio on the success of a side-channel attack
Adam Rektořík · bachelor's thesis (Bc.) · CTU in Prague
2022
Bachelor's thesis focused on the effect of the signal-to-noise ratio on the success of a side-channel attack.
- Role: supervisor
- Level: bachelor's thesis
- Institution: CTU in Prague
Doctoral Supervision
Supervision and consultation in doctoral studies.
Side-Channel Cryptanalysis of Post-Quantum Schemes
David Pokorný · doctoral studies · CTU in Prague
2023–present
Specialist co-supervisor for a Ph.D. student in Informatics, focusing on side-channel cryptanalysis.
- Role: co-supervisor
- Level: doctoral
- Institution: CTU in Prague
Projects and Grants
Research, development, and educational projects.
Tools for AI-enhanced Security Verification of Cryptographic Devices
Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic · VJ02010010
2022–2025
The project addresses current shortage of tools for the analysis and verification of security certifications for devices used in cybersecurity. In particular, for hardware devices implementing cryptographic algorithms, such as smartcards, it is currently difficult in the Czech Republic to verify the declared levels of security reliably. That prevents performing risk analysis of systems based on these devices and, therefore, their use by national security agencies and critical information infrastructures. The project will deliver novel hardware and software tools based on the AI principles that will be usable for specific steps in automated verification of device security with respect to either declared certification or manufacturer’s/vendor’s statement.
- Provider: Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic
- Project number: VJ02010010
- Joint project with Brno University of Technology and Masaryk University
Design, Programming and Verification of Embedded Systems
Student Grant Competition of CTU · SGS20/211/OHK3/3T/18
2020–2022
Student Grant Competition project focused on the design, programming, and verification of embedded systems.
- Provider: Student Grant Competition of CTU
- Project number: SGS20/211/OHK3/3T/18
DRASTIC: Dynamically Reconfigurable Architectures for Side-channel analysis protecTIon of Cryptographic implementations
Central Europe Leuven Strategic Alliance · CELSA/17/033
2017–2019
International research project focused on dynamically reconfigurable architectures for the protection of cryptographic implementations against side-channel analysis.
- Provider: Central Europe Leuven Strategic Alliance
- Project number: CELSA/17/033
- International project in cooperation with KU Leuven
Dependable and Attack-resistant Architectures for Programmable Devices
Student Grant Competition of CTU · SGS17/213/OHK3/3T/18
2017–2019
Student Grant Competition project focused on dependable and attack-resistant architectures for programmable devices.
- Provider: Student Grant Competition of CTU
- Project number: SGS17/213/OHK3/3T/18
Fault-Tolerant and Attack-Resistant Architectures Based on Programmable Devices: Research of Interplay and Common Features
Czech Science Foundation · GA16-05179S
2016–2018
With continuing miniaturization of present electronic devices, their dependability becomes significantly compromised. It is thus necessary to design devices that are reliable (functioning) even in presence of faults. This is typically achieved by introduction of redundancy, by which a correctness of data is ensured. Security of devices, i.e., their resistance to malicious attacks, is the second extremely important aspect of today. The security is also often achieved by redundancy, aiming at obscuring data. The interaction between techniques for fault-tolerant and attack-resistant design is however not well understood. The crossing points of both fields, the influence of controllability, observability, and redundancy will be studied. The target architecture will primarily be programmable devices (FPGAs). It is necessary to devise a realistic fault model in FPGA for evaluation purposes. The model will be refined by calibrations using accelerated life tests (ALT).
- Provider: Czech Science Foundation
- Project number: GA16-05179S