Workshops Defence High-Integrity Supply Chain Verification

Defence Full Day Workshop

High-Integrity Supply Chain Verification

Defence supply chains face sophisticated tampering, counterfeiting, and insertion threats that classical verification methods struggle to detect. This full-day workshop examines quantum-enhanced approaches to supply chain integrity: physically unclonable functions (PUFs) for hardware authentication, quantum tokens for provenance tracking, PQC digital signatures for firmware verification, and end-to-end cryptographic attestation chains from manufacturer to deployment.

Full day (6 hours)

In person or online

Max 30 delegates

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Workshop Description

Supply chain compromise in defence is not theoretical. Documented incidents include counterfeit electronic components in military aircraft, firmware manipulation in network equipment, and interdiction of hardware during transit. Classical verification relies on visual inspection, electrical testing, and digital signatures using RSA or ECDSA. Quantum computing threatens the signature-based verification layer, while quantum sensing and PUF technology offer new authentication capabilities that are physically impossible to clone.

This workshop covers the full spectrum of quantum-relevant supply chain security. Participants examine PUF technology (SRAM PUFs, arbiter PUFs, optical PUFs) and how their inherent manufacturing variation creates unique, unclonable device fingerprints. The session covers quantum token concepts for provenance tracking, PQC signature schemes (ML-DSA, SLH-DSA) for firmware and software integrity, and practical implementation of cryptographic attestation chains that survive the transition from classical to post-quantum algorithms. The interactive demonstration walks through a complete hardware verification pipeline from component receipt to deployment clearance.

What participants cover

Physically unclonable functions (PUFs): SRAM, arbiter, and optical PUF architectures for hardware authentication
Quantum token concepts for physical provenance tracking and anti-counterfeiting
PQC digital signatures (ML-DSA, SLH-DSA) for firmware verification and code signing migration
Cryptographic attestation chains: manufacturer to deployment verification under PQC transition
Tamper detection: quantum and classical sensing approaches for hardware integrity monitoring
End-to-end verification framework implementation for defence procurement pipelines

Preliminary Agenda

Full day workshop structure with scheduled breaks. Content is configurable to your organisation's technical level and operational environment.

#	Session	Topics
1	Supply Chain Threat Landscape for Defence Documented attacks and emerging quantum-era risks	Counterfeit components, firmware manipulation, and hardware interdiction: case studies from defence supply chains How quantum computing threatens RSA/ECDSA-based firmware signing and certificate chains CNSA 2.0 implications for supply chain cryptographic infrastructure
2	Hardware Authentication Technologies PUFs, quantum tokens, and device fingerprinting	SRAM PUFs: exploiting manufacturing variation for unique device identification Arbiter and optical PUFs: higher entropy sources and tamper-evident properties Quantum token concepts: no-cloning theorem applied to physical provenance markers Challenge-response protocols for PUF-based authentication in field conditions
Break, after 60 min
3	Cryptographic Integrity for Firmware and Software PQC signing and attestation chains	ML-DSA (FIPS 204) and SLH-DSA (FIPS 205) for firmware signing: performance, signature size, and verification speed Hybrid signature schemes during transition: maintaining backwards compatibility with legacy verifiers Attestation chain design: from silicon manufacture through assembly, testing, shipping, and deployment
4	Interactive Demonstration End-to-end hardware verification pipeline	Facilitator-led walkthrough of a complete component verification workflow: PUF enrolment, attestation signing, transit monitoring, and deployment verification Comparing classical versus PQC signature verification times and signature sizes in constrained environments Identifying failure modes: what happens when a component fails PUF challenge-response or attestation chain validation
Break, after 90 min
5	Implementation Framework Building quantum-resilient supply chain verification	Integration with existing defence procurement standards (DEF STAN 00-056, DO-254, MIL-STD-883) Vendor assessment: PUF providers (Intrinsic ID, Verayo), PQC libraries (liboqs, wolfSSL), and attestation platforms Phased deployment: pilot programme design for critical component classes
6	Case Studies: Supply Chain Security Programmes Lessons from early adopters	US DoD CMMC and supply chain cryptographic requirements European defence procurement: EDA and NATO AQAP supply chain integrity standards
7	Q&A and Implementation Planning

Designed and Delivered By

Workshops are designed and delivered by QSECDEF in collaboration with sector specialists. All facilitators have direct experience in both quantum technologies and defence systems.

QSECDEF brings world-leading expertise in post-quantum cryptography, quantum computing strategy, and defence-grade security assessment. Our advisory membership spans 600+ organisations and 1,200+ professionals working at the intersection of quantum technologies and critical infrastructure security.

Defence workshops are co-delivered with sector specialists who bring direct operational experience in defence organisations. This ensures workshop content is grounded in regulatory, operational, and technical realities specific to the sector.

Commission This Workshop

Sessions are configured around your organisation's technical level, operational environment, and regulatory jurisdiction. Get in touch to discuss requirements and schedule a date.

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