Cryptography is how two humans communicate via technology as a conduit. From grade school secret notes to the 2016 election hacked emails, network security techniques are ever more complex and vital.

Network security research is more than just algorithms for encryption. Cryptography is also how we transform and transport data, develop new protocols for communication, and pick out patterns from randomness. If social engineering is the interface of technology and humans, then this challenge grant is aimed at exploring new interfaces.

Compared with the amounts of money invested in hardware security, it seems like there aren't enough smart people working on network security. We'd like to see projects examining patterns behind how vulnerabilities are discovered, industry practices and their implications, and explorations for promising future encryption methods.

In particular, questions we are interested in include:

• Where is encryption and cryptography going?
• How do we improve on biometric encryption?
• Where do privacy and data leaks come from, and will there be more Edward Snowdens or Chelsea Mannings?
• User behavior metadata - mining intent from usage patterns
• What is the state of state espionage, surveillance, and cyber defense?
• Mapping the "darknet"
• Tools, canaries, and databases for sensitive information
• Blockchain technology for open science
• What is DRM taken to the logical extreme?
• Exploring social hacks in social realms (e.g. politics)
• How pervasive is government or corporate surveillance?