Welcome to the home page for Laszlo Hars

 

Email

-   Laszlo at Hars US

-   Laszlo period Hars at Seagate com

Resume [doc] [pdf]

SUMMARY

For 20 years I have been leading and practicing Information Security research and product development. I have been the chief architect of the low-level functionality of the Seagate Full Disk Encrypting (FDE) hard drives (encryption, access control, authentication, diagnostics…). I have 22 granted patents in the field of Information Security, 45 published patent applications (with over 25 more in the pipeline), 38 scientific publications, 4 more are under preparation.

     With broad experiences in industrial research, university lecturing, product development and project management I am an expert in a wide variety of fields including Information Security – Cryptography, DRM, Digital Watermarking, Random number generation and testing; System architecture; SW/HW development; Large Scale and Algorithmic Optimizations; Digital Signal Processing; Electronic Design and Simulations; Computational Geometry. Besides research and lecturing I designed integrated circuits, managed large software projects and did electronic and software system design. A lot of my work led to products still in the market. I have been responsible for project schedule, risk management; selecting, training and appraisal of team members, supervised Ph.D. students.

SKILLS

Information Security Research

Cryptography Architect security systems; Threat models; Design and optimize Elliptic Curve Cryptosystems; RSA, DES, AES implementations; Implement Cryptographic Toolboxes; Invent long arithmetic algorithms; Design new protocols, encryption modes, ciphers; Analyze security and functionality of cryptosystems

Tamper Resistant SW improve known techniques, invent new ones

True Random Number Generators design several new ones, improve old

Random Number Tests design new algorithms, analyze and improve old ones

Copyright Management, Media Copy Protection invent, analyze and program new methods

Digital Watermarking new methods (for audio, image, document), apply signal processing for their test and evaluation; investigate attack scenarios

Electrical Engineering R & D

Signal Quality Measurement Design and build instruments for spread spectrum telecommunication systems (CDMA, GSM, DECT, NADC)

Signal Generation Design and build instruments for very low distortion, wide-band modulated signals

Electronic Systems modeling Mathematical analysis and system simulations (noise effects, distortion, phase jitter, frequency drift, quantization errors, rounding errors, ADC resolution…)

Circuits Design Invent new algorithms for analog and digital filters, data recorder designs, design demodulators, power supplies and other circuits

Spectrum Analyzers Design, construct different ones (frequency sweep, FFT)

Digital Oscilloscopes Design and construction; New Calibration Methods

Software Development  

Mathematical Research Design and program a Graph creating and manipulating package, equations Editor, program methods for Planar Drawing of graphs

Parallelization of network-, sorting- and matrix-algorithms

Compiler design and Language definition for a list manipulation language (RECS)

Medical Systems Modeling, SW design: dosage of antibiotic treatment, model of concentration of chemicals and decomposition products in the blood; Dialysis Planning at severe kidney insufficiency

Router for VLSI design, multi-chip modules: New, improved algorithms, SW

Control of drawing instruments, new algorithms

Utilities, Electronic Musical Instruments, Simultaneous Rational Approximations

Statistical Estimation and Evaluation of measurement errors

Combinatorial Games new algorithms and programs

University

Lecturing

Undergraduate courses: Geometry, Calculus, Combinatory, Combinatorial Games, Graph Theory, Computer programming

Graduate courses: Differential Geometry, Non-Euclidean Geometries, Discrete Geometry, Algorithmic Theory, Combinatorial Algorithms, Numerical Methods, Computational Geometry, Parallel processes, Data Structures

Fundamental  
Research

Computational Geometry Solve long standing open mathematical problems about optimal weighted circle placement on surfaces of constant curvature

Computer Graphics Develop, analyze fast second order curve drawing algorithms, designed data structures and algorithms for planar projections of 3D bodies

Discrete Geometry Investigate optimal placements of objects on surfaces;
Study Equivalence classes of polyhedra by dissection

Complexity of Algorithms (geometric, numeric, combinatorial)

Optimization, improvement of numerical and combinatorial algorithms

Numerical Methods Invent new ones (reciprocal, inverse square root, polynomial roots, zeros of smooth functions, special functions, matrix calculations)

Discrete Orthogonal Transformations speed-ups, new algorithms

File Allocation problem solving in networks

VLSI Design invent optimum placement, wire routing algorithms

Professional 
Activities

Panelist, National Science Foundation review of Cyber Trust (ISG) proposals (2005)

Member of IEEE P1619 (Security In Storage) standards committee (2004 - )

Organized, chaired the Philips Information Security Workshop (2001, Eindhoven)

Coordinator of the Parallel Processing research group at the Eötvös University (1987−1989)

Chairman of the organizing committee of the Hungarian National High-School Mathematical Contest (1984−1988)

Tools
Mastered

Various analog and digital measurement systems

SW Applications: MATLAB, Maple, Wolfram Mathematica, MS Office, VISIO…

Operating Systems: MS Windows, Virtuoso, pSOS, Unix/Linux

Programming Languages: Assembler (TI DSP and x86), C/C++, Pascal, Fortran, REX, TeX, Occam, AHK, Python

Languages

Speak, read and write: English, German, Hungarian

DEGREES, EDUCATION

Ph.D. in Computational Geometry, (Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, 1977. Thesis: Circle Packing)

M.Sc. in Mathematics and Computer Science, (Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest 1975. Thesis: Complexity of Algorithms)

WORK EXPERIENCE

9/2002 –

Seagate Research

1251 Waterfront Place

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Principal Engineer-Scientist

Manage R&D projects

System design, Random Numbers, Information Security, Cryptography

2/2000 – 8/2002

Philips Research, USA

345 Scarborough Rd

Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510

Senior Scientist

Lead research projects

Random Numbers, Information Security, DRM

7/1998 – 2/2000

Panasonic Technologies, Inc.

Panasonic Information and Networking Technologies Laboratory, Princeton, NJ

Senior Scientist

Lead research projects

Digital Watermarking, Cryptography

1/1990 – 6/1998

Schlumberger Technologies
/ Wavetek Corp
.

Ismaning, Germany

Technology Manager, Mathematician:

Mathematics and Simulations, Electronic Design, R&D Management

6/1988 – 1/1990

Institute for Operations Research

University Bonn, Bonn, Germany

Visiting researcher

VLSI design, Large Scale Optimizations

8/1985 – 9/1992

Dept. of Computer Science

Eötvös Loránd University

Budapest, Hungary

Scientist, Lecturer

Computer Science, Discrete Mathematics

9/1979 – 9/1981

Dept. of Applied Mathematics and Physics

Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

Visiting researcher

Network optimizations

8/1975 – 8/1985

Dept. of Geometry

Eötvös Loránd University

Budapest, Hungary

Junior Scientist, Lecturer

Discrete/Computational geometry

Publications

Papers, Conference Presentations

[1]   10-Circle-Packing on the Sphere, Conference on Univ. Mathematics, Eger, 1974

[2]   In-Place Sorting (an efficient algorithm), Computer Science Conference, Szeged, 1974

[3]   Novel Phase-Shifter Circuit, Radiotechnika, 1976

[4]   Ph.D. Thesis: Weighted Circle Systems, 1977

[5]   with A. Florian, J. Molnar: On the ρ-System of Circles. Acta Math. Acad. Sci. Hung. (1977) pp. 205-221.

[6]   The Tammes Problem for n = 10. Studia Sci. Math. Hung. (1986) pp. 439-451.

[7]   Problems in Computation Theory. Notes of the Technical University of Budapest. (1987)

[8]   Circle Packing with Maximum Total Perimeter. Studia Sci. Math. Hung. 25 (1990) pp. 223-229.

[9]   On the Density of Floating Balls. Studia Sci. Math. Hung. 27 (1992) pp. 25-35.

[10] Automatic Multi-Chip Module Wiring. Report No.90628-OR, Forschungsinstitut für Diskrete Mathematik, University Bonn.(1990) [pdf]

[11] Random Search in the Traveling Salesman Problem. Report No.90629-OR, Forschungsinstitut für Diskrete Mathematik, University Bonn. (1990) [pdf]

[12] Motion Control of Drawing Machines. Report, Institut für Ökonometrie und Operations Research, University Bonn. (1989) [pdf]

[13] Reversible-Segment List. Report, Institut für Ökonometrie und Operations Research, University Bonn. (1989) [pdf]

[14] Hybrid Heuristic for the Maximum Weighted Independent Set Problem. Report, Institut für Ökonometrie und Operations Research, University Bonn. (1989) [pdf]

[15] Iterative best fit design of IIR Filters. Proceedings of the Schlumberger Signal Processing Applications Conference (1993)

[16] Fast software division with Digital Signal Processors. Proceedings Schlumberger Signal Processing Applications Conference (1993)

[17] Formulae and Algorithms for the GMSK Modulation, DSP World Workshop Proceedings, Toronto (1998) pp. 221-238 [doc] [pdf]

[18] Fast Calculation of Common Mathematical Functions with Floating-Point DSPs, ICSPAT Conference Proceedings (1998), pp. 521-525.

[19] Optimum DFT Window Design, DSP World Spring Design Conference Proceedings, Santa Clara (1999). [doc]

[20] Frequency Comparator Based GFSK Demodulation, International Conference on Signal Processing and Applications and Technology, Conference Proceedings, Orlando (1999) [doc]

[21] Frequency Offset Measurement of GMSK/GFSK Modulated Signals, ICSPAT, Conference Proceedings Orlando (1999) [doc]

[22] Wide Range Frequency Response Compensation Using DSP, ICSPAT, Conference Proceedings, Orlando (1999) [doc]

[23] Algorithmic Optimization for Floating Point DSP Mathematic Libraries, DSP World, Conference Proceedings, Orlando (1999). [doc]

[24] How to Decimate with a DSP, DSP World, Conference Proceedings, Orlando (1999). [doc]

[25] DSP Supported Sweeping Spectrum Analysis, ICSPAT, Conference Proceedings, Dallas (2000). [doc] [ps]

[26] Generating Signals for Simulation and Test of Complex DSP Systems, ICSPAT, Conference Proceedings, Dallas (2000). [doc] [ps]

[27] Frequency Response Compensation with DSP, IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, (July 2003) pp. 91-95. [doc], also in: Streamlining Digital Signal Processing: A Tricks of the Trade Guidebook, Richard G. Lyons (Editor), ISBN: 978-0-470-13157-2, September 2007, Wiley-IEEE Press

[28] with M. Epstein, R. Krasinski, M. Rosner, H. Zheng: Design and Implementation of a True Random Number Generator Based on Digital Circuit Artifacts, Workshop on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems CHES 2003, Cologne, Germany (2003) [doc] [pdf]

[29] Fast Truncated Multiplication for Cryptographic Applications, (CHES 2005), Edinburgh, [doc] [pdf] [ppt]. Short presentation in the rump session of the 6th Workshop on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems (CHES 2004), Cambridge, MA, USA (August 2004): [ppt]

[30] Applications of Fast Truncated Multiplication in Cryptography,  EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems, vol. 2007, Article ID 61721, 9 pages, 2007. doi:10.1155/2007/61721. The results were presented in CHES 2005, Edinburgh, but not printed in the proceedings because of page limitations [doc] [pdf]. Short presentation in the rump session of the 6th Workshop on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems (CHES 2004), Cambridge, MA, USA (August 2004): [ppt]. (The paper accepted for CHES'05 was resubmitted, but rejected for CHES'06 by reviewers, who did not read it. See some of their comments: [doc])

[31] Long Modular Multiplication for Cryptographic Applications, Presented in the 6th Workshop on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems (CHES 2004), Cambridge, MA, USA August 2004 [doc] [pdf] [ppt]. Cryptology ePrint archive: http://eprint.iacr.org/2004/198/, SpringerLink: http://www.springerlink.com/index/M0EQ289BW2BNECL1
Note: The publisher misprinted the first version of the paper in the conference proceedings LNCS 3156. It was later corrected and re-printed.

[32] Random Topics, Invited talk on SummerCon 2004, Pittsburgh [ppt]

[33] Modular Inverse Algorithms without Multiplications, EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems, Volume 2006 (2006), Article ID 32192: [url], [pdf] (Manuscript 2004 [doc] [pdf]. Software for experiments [C], GMP-4.1.2 compiled into Win32 dll [zip].)

[34] with R. Thibadeau: DRM Building Blocks in Secure Disk Drives, Consumer Communications & Networking Conference, CCNC'05 / CES'05, Workshop on Digital Rights Management Impact on Consumer Communications, Las Vegas (January 6, 2005) [ppt] [pdf]

[35] with G. Petruska: Pseudorandom Recursions - Small and Fast Pseudorandom Number Generators for Embedded Applications. EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems, vol. 2007, Article ID 98417, 13 pages, 2007. doi:10.1155/2007/98417.[url], [pdf]

[36] Discryption: Internal Hard-Disk Encryption for Secure Storage, Computer (IEEE Computer Society, ISSN 0018-9162) Vol. 40, Num 6. (June 2007), pp. 103-105. Latest version: [doc] [pdf]

[37] Toward Standardization of Self-Encrypting Storage: Invited talk in the Security in Storage Workshop, Baltimore, September 25, 2008 [doc] [pdf] [ppt].

[38] Random Number Generators in Secure Disk Drives. EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems, vol. 2009, Article ID 598246, 10 pages, 2009. doi:10.1155/2009/598246. [url]

Issued Patents

PAT. NO.

Title

1

7,577,803

Near instantaneous backup and restore of disc partitions

2

7,363,564

Method and apparatus for securing communications ports in an electronic device

3

7,360,057

Encryption of data in a range of logical block addresses

4

7,356,552

VLSI implementation of a random number generator using a plurality of simple flip-flops

5

7,356,551

Method and apparatus of retaining maximum speed of flip-flop metastability based random number generators

6

7,325,021

VLSI implementation of metastability-based random number generator using delay ladders

7

7,315,874

Electronic circuit for random number generation

8

7,302,575

Apparatus for and method of preventing illicit copying of digital content

9

7,302,458

Method and apparatus for choosing a combination of logic for generating random numbers using a difference signal

10

7,295,674

On-line randomness test for detecting irregular pattern

11

7,213,004

Apparatus and methods for attacking a screening algorithm based on partitioning of content

12

7,124,155

Latching electronic circuit for random number generation

13

7,047,262

Entropy estimation and decimation for improving the randomness of true random number generation

14

7,031,991

Hadamard-transform on-line randomness test

15

6,993,543

Gap histogram on-line randomness test

16

6,947,960

Randomness test utilizing auto-correlation

17

6,925,342

System and method for protecting digital media

18

6,889,236

Gap average on-line randomness test

19

6,771,104

Switching electronic circuit for random number generation

20

6,763,366

Method for calculating arithmetic inverse over finite fields for use in cryptography

21

6,745,220

Efficient exponentiation method and apparatus

22

6,675,113

Monobit-run frequency on-line randomness test

Published patent applications

(some 20 more patent applications are in the pipeline)

PUB.APP.NO.

Title

1

20100031057

Traffic analysis resistant storage encryption using implicit and explicit data

2

20090077147

Multi-Bit Sampling Of Oscillator Jitter For Random Number Generation

3

20090077146

On-Line Randomness Test For Restart Random Number Generators

4

20090048976

Protecting Stored Data From Traffic Analysis

5

20080201536

Near instantaneous backup and restore of disc partitions

6

20080155262

System and method for tamper evident certification

7

20080114981

Method and apparatus for authenticated data storage

8

20080072071

Hard disc streaming cryptographic operations with embedded authentication

9

20070033454

Method and apparatus for securing communications ports in an electronic device

10

20060230460

Hierarchical scheme for secure multimedia distribution

11

20060218647

Data transcription in a data storage device

12

20060218412

Data encryption in a data storage device

13

20060200682

Apparatus and method for protecting diagnostic ports of secure devices

14

20060198515

Secure disc drive electronics implementation

15

20060133607

Apparatus and method for generating a secret key

16

20060064489

Method for limiting the number of network devices in a communication network

17

20060005046

Secure firmware update procedure for programmable security devices

18

20050286351

Stable disc controller ID from unstable comparator outputs

19

20050210257

System and method for protecting digital media

20

20050004961

Method and apparatus of retaining maximum speed of flip-flop metastability based random number generators

21

20050004960

Electronic circuit for random number generation

22

20050004959

VLSI implementation of metastability-based random number generator using delay ladders

23

20040267846

Method and apparatus for choosing a combination of logic for generating random numbers using a difference signal

24

20040267845

VLSI implementation of a random number generator using a plurality of simple flip-flops

25

20040049525

Feedback random number generation method and system

26

20040039762

Entropy estimation and decimation for improving the randomness of true random number generation

27

20040019617

Latching electronic circuit for random number generation

28

20040017235

SWITCHING ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT FOR RANDOM NUMBER GENERATION

29

20030200489

Secure method of and system for rewarding customers

30

20030200239

Gap histogram on-line randomness test

31

20030200238

Hadamard-transform on-line randomness test

32

20030200140

Secure method of and system for rewarding customer

33

20030187890

Gap average on-line randomness test

34

20030187889

Functional gap average on-line randomness test

35

20030187598

Monobit-run frequency on-line randomness test

36

20030158876

On-line randomness test through overlapping word counts

37

20030158875

Randomness test utilizing auto-correlation

38

20030156713

On-line randomness test for detecting irregular pattern

39

20030088774

Apparatus for and method of preventing illicit copying of digital content

40

20030088773

Method of and apparatus for preventing illicit copying of digital content

41

20020174155

Method for calculating arithmetic inverse over finite fields for use in cryptography

42

20020152172

Apparatus and methods for attacking a screening algorithm based on partitioning of content

43

20020076048

System and method for inserting disruptions into merged digital recordings

44

20020073317

System and method for protecting digital media

45

20020068987

System and method for protecting digital media