GSoC Call for Mentor

[Robert Lorentz]

Hi,

I've been communicating with the FreeBSD GSoC admins list for a few
months now, not realizing only 4 people are on there.  I have spoken
with Ben Laurie (affiliated with OpenSSL) and Robert Watson regarding
my GSoC idea for software implementations of SHA-3 hash algorithms for
the purpose of inclusion within FreeBSD or OpenSSL.  The timeline for
applications is now almost upon us, so I would like to finalize my
plan as soon as possible to allow me time to create a good proposal in
time to submit it.

It seems clear that the implementation and performance analysis of the
SHA-3 candidate algorithm(s) is the interesting part of what I
discussed in that earlier correspondence.  Whether the code is written
for FreeBSD or OpenSSL's specific framework is not interesting and
more a strategic/political decision than a technical one.

After pondering the previous suggestions, I think that my project
proposal should be roughly as follows:

- C Implementations of all 5 SHA-3 hash algorithm candidates. These
implementations will operate in a standalone manner, with a reasonable
interface such that the NIST SHA-3 selected algorithm's implementation
could be easily adapted to work within OpenSSL or FreeBSD.
- Expect that alternate implementations will be explored to determine
possible performance tradeoffs and optimal implementations.
- Formalized analysis and discussion, formatted in a conference-quality paper

My motivation for this work is that I am currently working on PhD
research in the field of cryptographic engineering, recently completed
my MS CpE research on hardware FPGA implementations of SHA-3
candidates, and my undergraduate degree and personal experience is in
computer science (C, C++, UNIX) so this project is very interesting to
me and I feel I have the skills and experience to obtain meaningful
results.

I desire a mentor at this point in time because I understand that it
would give me a better chance of my project proposal being accepted
and successfully executed.  My hope is that one of you will agree to
be my mentor, at which point I will create a detailed project proposal
to submit to the GSoC. If I do not have a willing mentor I do not
intend to submit a proposal. Ben and Robert seemed enthusiastic
regarding my idea (Ben commented that the current AES implementation
began in this way) but are too busy or lack the interest to become my
mentor.

I see that FreeBSD has been accepted as a program to GSoC 2012;
OpenSSL is not listed.  Therefore it is my assumption that my proposed
project would be done under the FreeBSD program - even if eventually
this code ends up in OpenSSL and flows downstream to FreeBSD.  If this
assumption does not satisfy you, can you please suggest a modification
to my proposal that would make it become eligible for sponsorship
under the FreeBSD GSoC program?

If anyone is willing to take me on for this, please send me a
response. I am very easy to work with :)

Thanks,

Robert Lorentz