Cracking the Code of Quantum Security: CCDS Team Wins at AsiaCCS 2025
Quantum computing is often called the next great leap in technology but without stronger safeguards it could also open the door to new kinds of cyberattacks. At the 20th ACM Asia Conference on Computer and Communications Security (AsiaCCS 2025) in Hanoi, CCDS showed the world how it is tackling this challenge head-on. CCDS PhD researcher Wang Siyi and her team clinched the Best Poster Award for uncovering hidden risks in the way quantum cloud platforms are secured.
Organised by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), AsiaCCS is one of the world’s most recognised platforms for cutting-edge cybersecurity research. The Best Poster Award honours work that demonstrates originality, clarity, and potential impact in advancing the field.
Wang Siyi (second from right) pictured with other award winners at ACM AsiaCCS 2025.
Their winning research, “SWAP-based Side-Channel Attacks on Multi-Tenant Quantum Cloud Systems”, introduces an attack model that challenges long-held assumptions in quantum cybersecurity. By exploiting SWAP gates, they demonstrated:
Active SWAP Attack – disrupting victim circuits remotely, showing that physical separation of qubits is not a guaranteed defence.
Passive SWAP Attack – leaking sensitive information through improper qubit allocation, achieving 100% prediction accuracy in experiments.
“Our research shows that distance is no longer a defence in quantum cloud security. The SWAP attack challenges long-held assumptions and calls for urgent countermeasures,” said Siyi.
Behind the research was a close-knit CCDS team: Wang Siyi, lead author and presenter; Bryan Lee Wei Jie, former Final Year Project student and first author; Dr. Suman Dutta, former research associate, and co-author; and Associate Professor Anupam Chattopadhyay, co-author and research supervisor.
Reflecting on the achievement, Siyi shared:
“I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported this work, especially my supervisor, Prof. Anupam. Quantum cybersecurity is still a very new field, but as quantum computing progresses, its importance will only continue to grow. Receiving this award not only motivates me to delve deeper into the cutting edge of quantum research but also gives me the courage and sense of responsibility to continue pursuing innovative contributions in this domain.”
As quantum platforms such as IBM Quantum and Amazon Braket gain wider use, this research highlights urgent risks in shared environments. The team’s findings have already attracted attention from agencies and industry players keen to strengthen defences.
Beyond the accolade, the achievement underscores how CCDS students and researchers are breaking new ground in fields that shape the future. It reflects CCDS’s growing strength in quantum cybersecurity and its commitment to preparing graduates who are not only ready for today’s challenges but also equipped to anticipate tomorrow’s challenges.
