03/05/2025, 17:14 Homomorphic Encryption for AI: The Ultimate Guide to Secure, Confidential, and Encrypted Data in Motion

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Homomorphic Encryption for AI: The Ultimate

Guide to Confidential AI and Encrypted Data in
Motion
32 min read · Feb 7, 2025

Mohit Sewak, Ph.D. Follow

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Master the Art of Securing AI with Encrypted Data in Motion

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Homomorphic Encryption: Where data privacy isn’t just protected — it’s invincible.

Related Reading
Confidential AI: The Next Big Thing in Artificial Intelligence.
— Why All Technology Giants are Racing to Dominate This Emerging Field? (and
Why You Should Care)?

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Prologue: The Curious Case of the Encrypted Teapot

P icture this: It’s a rainy Tuesday, the kind of day where even your Wi-Fi feels
sluggish out of pure existential dread. I’m sitting by my desk, cradling a
steaming cup of cardamom tea — the nectar of productivity — when a thought hits
me like an unexpected Windows update:

“What if someone could read my data without decrypting it? Like… brewing tea without
opening the teapot?”

Now, if you’re imagining me dramatically spilling tea all over my research notes,
you’d be right. (No data was harmed, but my pride took a minor hit.) That moment
sparked a mental rabbit hole dive so deep, I practically emerged in Wonderland.
Except, instead of a white rabbit, I was chasing a cryptographic concept called
Homomorphic Encryption (HE) — an idea so magical, it makes Hogwarts look like
basic cybersecurity.

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Brewed in secrecy, served with security — just like encrypted data.

So, what’s the big deal with HE? Well, imagine you have a top-secret recipe for
masala tea. You want your friend to make it, but you don’t want them to see the
recipe. Homomorphic Encryption lets your friend mix, stir, and even adjust the
spices — all without ever opening the encrypted recipe. When they hand it back, you
decrypt it, and voilà! A perfectly brewed cup, just as if they’d seen the instructions.

Mind blown? Good. Strap in.

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Because this isn’t just a story about cryptography. This is an adventure. A tale of
mathematical wizards, digital superheroes, and villains lurking in the shadows of
data breaches. It’s about how AI, privacy, and encryption collided in a plot twist that
even Netflix wouldn’t see coming.

And who better to guide you through this encrypted labyrinth than me, Dr. Mohit
Sewak — AI researcher, cybersecurity enthusiast, and occasional cardamom tea
philosopher.

Welcome to Homomorphic Encryption for AI: The Ultimate Guide to Confidential AI and
Encrypted Data in Motion.

Chapter 1: The Birth of the Cipher — A Brief History of Homomorphic

Encryption
Every superhero has an origin story. Batman had Gotham. Spider-Man had a
radioactive spider. And Homomorphic Encryption? Well, it had a bunch of
cryptographers, a chalkboard full of mathematical hieroglyphics, and an existential
crisis about data privacy.

Let’s rewind to the 1970s, an era of bell-bottoms, disco balls, and the dawn of
modern cryptography. Somewhere between the invention of Pong and the rise of
polyester fashion crimes, a trio of brilliant minds — Rivest, Adleman, and
Dertouzos — sat down and asked themselves:

“What if we could do math on encrypted data without ever decrypting it?”

To put that in perspective, this was a time when people still trusted floppy disks and
thought “the cloud” was just a weather update. Yet here were these pioneers,
casually inventing a concept they dubbed “privacy homomorphisms.” Think of it
like trying to bake a cake without ever cracking open the recipe — or the eggs.

But, as with all great origin stories, there was a catch. Their early attempts at this
cryptographic sorcery were about as stable as my Wi-Fi during a thunderstorm. The
idea was brilliant, but the math? Not so much. It worked in theory, kind of like my
plan to go to the gym every morning.

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Fast forward to 2009, and enter our protagonist: Craig Gentry. Picture him as the
Tony Stark of cryptography — minus the billionaire playboy thing, but with all the
genius. Gentry, then a humble Ph.D. student, cracked the code (literally) and
introduced the world to the first Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) scheme.

From scrolls to cyphers to Craig Gentry — encryption’s glow-up through the ages.

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Now, if you’re wondering what that felt like in the cryptography world, imagine
someone inventing teleportation but saying, “Oh, by the way, it takes 12 hours to
teleport across the street.” Groundbreaking? Yes. Practical? Not exactly.

Gentry’s secret weapon was a technique called bootstrapping, which sounds like
something you’d do when camping but is actually a method for refreshing noisy
ciphertexts. (Don’t worry, we’ll decode that jargon later. For now, just picture
bootstrapping as giving your encrypted data a strong cup of coffee when it starts
feeling sluggish.)

From there, the story took off faster than a cat video going viral. Researchers
worldwide jumped in, tweaking, optimizing, and occasionally breaking things in the
name of progress. Microsoft SEAL, IBM HELib, and other cryptographic toolkits
emerged, turning what was once an academic curiosity into a real-world superhero
capable of protecting data in finance, healthcare, and AI.

But here’s the twist: Homomorphic Encryption isn’t just about privacy.
It’s about trust.
It’s about the ability to hand over your most sensitive information — not to your best
friend, but to complete strangers (like cloud servers) — without losing sleep over it.

Because, let’s face it, in an age where even your toaster probably has Wi-Fi, trust
isn’t optional. It’s encrypted.

Chapter 2: Meet the Heroes — PHE, SHE, and FHE Assemble!

Every epic story needs a team of heroes — think The Avengers, Justice League, or even
the Powerpuff Girls if you’re into sugar, spice, and everything encrypted. In the world
of Homomorphic Encryption, our champions go by the names PHE, SHE, and FHE.
Sure, they sound like names you’d give your Wi-Fi networks, but trust me, these
cryptographic crusaders are here to save the day (and your data).

Let’s meet the team.

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1. PHE: The One-Trick Pony (But It’s a Really Good Trick)

Full Name: Partially Homomorphic Encryption
Superpower: Can perform either addition or multiplication on encrypted data.
Weakness: Gets confused if you ask it to do both. Like me trying to juggle while
reciting the periodic table.

Personality:
PHE is that friend who’s amazing at one thing — like the guy at every party who can
solve a Rubik’s cube in 10 seconds but can’t boil an egg without setting off the smoke
alarm. It’s simple, efficient, and surprisingly effective when you only need one
specific operation.

Real-Life Example:

RSA: Great at multiplication. (Also great at making your head hurt if you try to
understand the math without caffeine.)

Paillier: Loves addition. Perfect for secure voting systems where you can tally
encrypted votes without peeking at individual choices. Democracy, but make it
private.

Catchphrase:
“I may do one thing, but I do it flawlessly.”

2. SHE: The Overachiever with a Time Limit

Full Name: Somewhat Homomorphic Encryption
Superpower: Can perform both addition and multiplication on encrypted data.
Weakness: Gets tired quickly. After a few operations, the data gets so noisy, it’s like
trying to hear a whisper at a rock concert.

Personality:
SHE is that student who signs up for every extracurricular, aces all their classes, but
eventually hits burnout because — surprise — they’re still human. It’s versatile and
can handle complex tasks, but only for a limited time before things get messy.

Real-Life Example:
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Great for simple AI models where you don’t need an endless loop of calculations.

Perfect for situations where you know exactly how many operations you’ll
perform — like making a sandwich with a strict ingredient list. (Bread, cheese,
tomato, encryption. Done.)

Catchphrase:
“I can do it all — just don’t ask me to do it forever.”

3. FHE: The Superhero with a Gym Membership (Bootstrapping Included)

Full Name: Fully Homomorphic Encryption
Superpower: Unlimited additions and multiplications on encrypted data.
Weakness: Takes a lot of effort to stay in shape. Requires regular “bootstrapping,”
which is like hitting the gym to stay fit, except instead of lifting weights, it’s lifting
computational complexity.

Personality:
FHE is the all-star athlete who never seems to get tired. Need to run a marathon? No
problem. Climb Mount Everest? Done. But here’s the catch — it takes a ridiculous
amount of training (read: computational power) to maintain that stamina.

Real-Life Example:

Used in privacy-preserving machine learning, where AI models are trained on

encrypted data without ever seeing the raw information.

Ideal for secure cloud computing. It’s like letting someone babysit your kid
without ever actually seeing the kid. (Hypothetically. Don’t try this at home.)

Catchphrase:
“I never quit. I just… need to recharge. Frequently.”

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The Cryptographic Avengers: PHE’s precise, SHE’s versatile, FHE’s limitless.

The Team Dynamic:

PHE: “I’ll handle the simple stuff.”

SHE: “I can juggle both tasks, but hurry up before I burn out.”

FHE: “I’ll take it from here. Hold my encryption key.”

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If you think of a secure data system as a relay race, PHE starts strong, SHE keeps the
pace, and FHE carries the baton across the finish line — sweaty but victorious.

But here’s the plot twist: While FHE sounds like the superhero we all want, it’s still
evolving. Researchers (including yours truly) are constantly working to make it
faster, more efficient, and less needy when it comes to computational resources.

Chapter 3: The Math Magic — Decoding Cryptographic Sorcery Without

Losing Your Mind
Welcome to the cryptographic equivalent of Hogwarts, where the spells are
mathematical theorems, and instead of wands, we wave around polynomial rings
and lattices. No need for a Ph.D. in number theory (though I’ve got one, and it hasn’t
helped me dodge awkward questions at family gatherings). We’re going to break this
down like a Netflix series: easy to follow, binge-worthy, and with just the right
amount of “Wait, what?” moments.

1. Lattices: The Invisible Grids Holding Everything Together

Imagine a giant grid stretching out in all directions — like an infinite chessboard
where every square is a potential hiding spot for your secrets. That’s a lattice. But
instead of kings, queens, and pawns, we’ve got vectors — basically arrows pointing
in different directions.

Now, here’s the kicker: finding the shortest path between two points in this grid is
absurdly hard. It’s like trying to find the one sock that mysteriously vanished from
the laundry. Cryptographers love this kind of problem because if it’s hard for
humans and computers, it’s great for security.

Why It’s Important:

Lattices are the backbone of Homomorphic Encryption, especially in schemes like
RLWE (Ring Learning With Errors) — which sounds like a bad grade in algebra but
is actually a super-secure cryptographic technique.

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Pro Tip:
If someone tries to explain lattices using only straight lines, they’re lying. Lattices are like
life: messy, multidimensional, and full of unexpected detours.

2. The RLWE Problem: Math’s Version of “Where’s Waldo?”

RLWE, or Ring Learning With Errors, is the cryptographic equivalent of hiding Waldo
in a crowd of identical Waldos — but with some of them slightly blurry. The “error”
part refers to tiny bits of mathematical noise sprinkled in to confuse attackers.

Here’s the idea:

You have an equation with a secret number hidden inside.

You add just enough “error” to make it impossible for anyone to solve unless
they know the secret.

Even if a hacker has the computational power of Tony Stark’s J.A.R.V.I.S., they’ll
be left staring at the encrypted data like it’s an abstract painting — looks
impressive, means nothing without the key.

Real-World Analogy:
Imagine baking a cake but intentionally leaving out one ingredient (say, sugar).
Then, you ask someone to recreate the original recipe based on the final product.
They’ll get close, but without knowing about the missing sugar, their cake will
always taste a little… off. That’s the power of RLWE.

Did You Know?

RLWE is considered resistant to quantum attacks. Yep, even if someone invents a real-life
quantum computer, this math is still like, “Try me.”

3. Polynomial Rings: Where Numbers Go to Party

If regular numbers are introverts — straightforward, predictable — then
polynomials are the life of the party. They’re like equations with multiple
personalities:

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x² + 3x + 2 doesn’t just sit there quietly; it curves, it bends, it dances across the
graph.

In Homomorphic Encryption, we take these wild polynomials and trap them inside
a mathematical “ring.” Imagine a hula hoop where the numbers spin around
endlessly but never escape. This setup allows encrypted data to be manipulated
without breaking the encryption spell.

Why It’s Cool:

Polynomial rings make it possible to pack multiple data points into a single
encrypted blob, perform operations, and then unpack the results — all without
exposing the original data. It’s like sending a mystery box to someone, letting them
rearrange the contents blindfolded, and still getting exactly what you wanted when
you open it.

Cryptographic Wisdom:
“When life gives you polynomials, make them dance in circles (rings, to be precise).”

4. Noise: The Unlikely Hero of Cryptography

In most cases, noise is a nuisance. Think static on the radio, your neighbor’s dog
barking at 3 AM, or that one colleague who insists on replying-all. But in
Homomorphic Encryption, noise is essential.

Every time you encrypt data, a little bit of random noise is added. This isn’t a bug; it’s
a feature. The noise makes it practically impossible for attackers to reverse-engineer
the encrypted data. Without it, cracking the encryption would be like solving a
jigsaw puzzle with all the pieces perfectly in place. The noise scatters the pieces just
enough to keep things secure.

The Plot Twist:

The more operations you perform on encrypted data, the louder the noise gets.
Eventually, it’s like trying to hear a whisper during a rock concert. That’s where
bootstrapping comes in — a mathematical “noise-canceling headphone” that resets
the data so you can keep working.

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5. Bootstrapping: The Mathematical Equivalent of Hitting Refresh

Imagine your phone’s battery draining fast because you’ve got 20 apps running in
the background. What do you do? You hit refresh — close all the apps, maybe restart
the phone, and boom, good as new.

In FHE, bootstrapping does the same thing. It “refreshes” encrypted data by

reducing the accumulated noise, allowing you to continue computations without
losing accuracy. It’s computationally expensive — kind of like buying a whole new
phone just because your battery hit 20% — but necessary if you want to keep going.

Cryptographer’s Lament:
“Bootstrapping is like cleaning your room. You don’t want to do it, but eventually, the
mess (or noise) forces your hand.”

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Where math meets magic — decoding encryption without summoning a headache.”

The Grand Takeaway:

Homomorphic Encryption isn’t just about hiding data; it’s about transforming it,
flipping it, and even doing algebra on it — all while keeping it locked in a
cryptographic vault.

So, the next time someone says, “Encryption is boring,” smile politely, sip your
cardamom tea, and remember:

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You’ve just navigated mathematical sorcery without losing your mind.

And you’re one step closer to being a data security wizard.

Chapter 4: The Enchanted Applications — Where Homomorphic

Encryption Saves the World (One Dataset at a Time)
If Homomorphic Encryption (HE) were a superhero, this chapter would be the part
where it ditches the mysterious origin story, steps into the daylight, and starts
actually saving people. You know — stopping data breaches, protecting privacy, and
generally being the Batman of the digital world (minus the brooding in dark caves,
although cryptographers do spend a suspicious amount of time in dimly lit rooms).

Let’s dive into the real-world adventures of HE, where it leaps from academic
papers to the frontlines of AI, healthcare, finance, and beyond. Buckle up — this is
where math meets the messiness of life.

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Homomorphic Encryption (HE) — Saving the world, one encrypted dataset at a time.

1. Healthcare: Privacy-Preserving Life Support

Imagine you’re a doctor treating patients with sensitive medical conditions. You
need to analyze vast amounts of health data to find trends — maybe to detect early
signs of a disease or optimize treatment plans. But here’s the dilemma: patient data
is as private as someone’s search history at 2 AM.

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Enter Homomorphic Encryption, the digital equivalent of a doctor performing

surgery while the patient is wrapped in bubble wrap. You can analyze the data without
ever seeing the actual details.

Scenario:
A hospital wants to predict heart disease risks using AI. Normally, this would
require decrypting sensitive patient records. With HE, the data stays encrypted
throughout the entire process. The AI model does its thing, crunches the numbers,
and when the results are decrypted — voilà — accurate predictions without
compromising a single patient’s privacy.
Real-World Impact:
Secure Medical Research: Multiple hospitals can collaborate on studies without
ever sharing raw patient data.

Genomic Data Analysis: Even genetic information can be processed securely,

which is huge because DNA doesn’t come with a privacy setting.

Fun Fact:
HE is like HIPAA with a cape — it doesn’t just follow privacy laws; it makes them
practically bulletproof.

2. Finance: The Vault Inside the Vault

If there’s one industry that treats data like the crown jewels, it’s finance. Banks,
investment firms, insurance companies — they all swim in oceans of sensitive
information. And just like you wouldn’t shout your bank PIN in a crowded room,
financial institutions don’t want to expose raw data.

Scenario:
A bank wants to detect fraudulent transactions. Traditional methods would require
decrypting all transaction data first — risky business. But with HE? The fraud
detection algorithms run directly on encrypted transactions. No peeking, no
breaches, just pure, privacy-preserving analysis.
Real-World Impact:
Secure Auditing: Auditors can verify transactions without accessing the actual
financial data.

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Privacy-Preserving Credit Scoring: Banks can evaluate your creditworthiness

without snooping through every financial detail like an overzealous detective in
a crime drama.

Pro Tip:
If HE were a financial advisor, it’d be the type who locks your data in a safe, buries the
safe, encrypts the map, and then eats the map for good measure.

3. Government: Democracy, But Make It Encrypted

Governments handle sensitive information daily — from census data to national
security reports. And let’s be real, “trust” isn’t always the first word that comes to
mind when you think about data privacy in government.

Scenario:
Imagine an online voting system where votes are encrypted the moment they’re
cast. The votes are tallied while still encrypted, and only the final count is
decrypted. No one — not even the election officials — can see individual votes.

Real-World Impact:
Secure E-Voting: Ensures election integrity without risking voter privacy.

Data Sharing Between Agencies: Government departments can collaborate on

data-driven projects without exposing sensitive information.

Cryptographic Trivia:
The first concept of “privacy homomorphisms” was actually inspired by the idea of secure
voting. So technically, Homomorphic Encryption was politically active before it was cool.

4. Cloud Computing: Trust Issues? Not Anymore.

Let’s face it — we’ve all got trust issues when it comes to the cloud. Sure, it’s
convenient to store files on someone else’s server, but there’s always that nagging
voice: “What if they peek?”

Scenario:

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You upload your encrypted data to a cloud service. The cloud runs complex
computations — maybe training an AI model, analyzing big data, or performing
financial forecasts — without ever decrypting the data. The results come back
encrypted, and only you can decrypt them.

It’s like sending your laundry to be cleaned without anyone actually opening the
bag. (Not that anyone wants to peek at your laundry, but you get the idea.)

Real-World Impact:
Secure Data Outsourcing: Companies can leverage the power of cloud
computing without exposing sensitive business data.

Confidential AI-as-a-Service: AI models can process encrypted data without

compromising privacy, which is a game-changer for industries like healthcare,
finance, and legal tech.

Did You Know?

Microsoft SEAL, an open-source library I’ve worked with, is one of the leading tools
enabling secure computations in the cloud. So yes, I’m basically a data privacy wizard.
You’re welcome.

5. AI & Machine Learning: Teaching Robots to Mind Their Own Business

AI is everywhere — from your Netflix recommendations to self-driving cars. But to
be smart, AI needs data. And to be really smart, it needs a lot of data. This raises a
big question:
How do we feed AI the data it craves without sacrificing privacy?

Scenario:
Imagine training an AI model to detect fraudulent credit card transactions.
Normally, this would involve accessing thousands of real transactions, which could
expose sensitive financial information. But with HE, the model trains on encrypted
data. It never “sees” the raw transactions, yet still learns to spot fraud like a pro.

Real-World Impact:
Federated Learning: Multiple organizations can train AI models collaboratively
without sharing raw data.

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Secure Inference: AI models can make predictions on encrypted data, perfect

for applications like healthcare diagnostics or personalized recommendations —
without knowing your deepest, darkest Spotify playlists.

AI Pro Tip:
Homomorphic Encryption is like an AI dietitian — you give it all the data nutrients it
needs, but it doesn’t get to taste any of it.

6. The Unexpected Heroics: Supply Chains, Smart Cities, and More

HE isn’t just a one-trick pony. It’s showing up in some unexpected places:

Supply Chain Management: Companies can collaborate securely without

revealing proprietary data.

Smart Cities: Data from traffic sensors, energy grids, and public services can be
analyzed without compromising individual privacy.

Space Missions: (Okay, not yet. But wouldn’t that be cool?)

The Common Thread:

In every scenario, the magic of Homomorphic Encryption boils down to one simple
idea:
“Trust no one. Encrypt everything.”

But here’s the twist — it’s not about being paranoid. It’s about creating a world where
privacy isn’t a luxury; it’s the default. A world where you can share, collaborate, and
innovate without ever having to say, “Oops, there was a data breach.”

Chapter 5: The Villains — Data Breaches, Side-Channel Attacks, and the

Dark Side of the Cloud

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Every great hero story needs its villains. Batman has the Joker. Harry Potter had
Voldemort. And Homomorphic Encryption? Its nemeses are sneakier, quieter, and
— brace yourself — don’t even need to wear capes.

In the vast, shadowy world of cybersecurity, villains don’t twirl mustaches or

monologue dramatically (though imagine how fun that would be). Instead, they
show up as data breaches, side-channel attacks, and other digital gremlins lurking
in the background, waiting for you to make one tiny mistake — like using
“password123” because, “Who would guess that?”

Let’s meet the rogues’ gallery that keeps cryptographers up at night — and see how
Homomorphic Encryption puts on its metaphorical superhero cape to fight back.

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Meet the villains — good luck getting past the encrypted vault, hackers.

1. The Data Breach: The “Pickpocket” of the Digital World

Imagine walking through a crowded market. You’ve got your wallet tucked safely in
your pocket. You feel secure — until someone bumps into you, and suddenly your
wallet’s gone.

That’s a data breach. But instead of your wallet, it’s your personal data. And instead
of a crowded market, it’s — well, literally anywhere online.

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Real-World Examples:
The infamous Equifax breach in 2017 compromised sensitive data of over 147
million people. That’s like every single person in Russia waking up to find their
personal info exposed.

Yahoo’s data breach (2013–2014) affected 3 billion accounts. That’s not a typo.
Three. Billion. That’s like if every person on Earth had their email hacked — and
then some.
Why It’s Scary:
Data breaches aren’t just embarrassing PR disasters. They lead to identity theft,
financial fraud, and awkward family conversations like:
“Mom, why did you click on that email saying you won a free cruise?”

Enter Homomorphic Encryption:

With HE, even if someone does manage to breach your data, all they’ll get is
encrypted gibberish. It’s like stealing a diary written in a language no one
understands — even Google Translate would just shrug.

Pro Tip:
“Don’t just lock the door — make sure what’s inside the house is in a safe, encrypted, and
preferably guarded by a metaphorical laser shark.”

2. Side-Channel Attacks: The Eavesdroppers with Fancy Tools

While most attacks target data directly, side-channel attacks are the sneaky spies of
the cyber world. Instead of picking the lock, they listen to the sounds you make while
turning the key.
How It Works:
Hackers don’t go after the encrypted data itself.

Instead, they analyze things like power consumption, electromagnetic leaks, or

even the time it takes to perform certain operations.

It’s like figuring out what someone’s typing just by listening to the clicks on their
keyboard.

Real-World Example:

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Meltdown and Spectre (2018): Vulnerabilities that affected billions of devices

worldwide. They allowed attackers to read sensitive information from a
computer’s memory — not by hacking the data, but by exploiting how the CPU
processed information.

Why It’s Annoying:

Because no matter how strong your encryption is, if someone can literally measure
the electricity spikes when you decrypt something, they might just reverse-engineer
the secret.

HE to the Rescue:
Since Homomorphic Encryption doesn’t require decryption during computation,
there’s nothing to “leak.” It’s like having a conversation in a soundproof room while
eavesdroppers are outside with stethoscopes, frustrated and questioning their life
choices.

3. The Man-in-the-Middle Attack: The Digital Impersonator

Picture this: You send your friend a secret message. But before it gets to them,
someone intercepts it, changes it slightly, and sends it along. Neither of you realizes
the message was tampered with.

That’s a Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack — where hackers secretly relay and

sometimes alter communication between two parties. It’s like having a nosy
neighbor reading your mail, adding their own notes, and resealing the envelope.

Real-World Example:
Wi-Fi eavesdropping attacks: Hackers set up fake public Wi-Fi hotspots named
something innocent like “FreeCoffeeShopWiFi” (because who can resist free Wi-
Fi?). Once you connect, they can monitor everything you do online.

Why It’s Bad:

MITM attacks can lead to stolen passwords, credit card details, and, worst of all,
awkward typos being exposed.
HE’s Defense Move:
With Homomorphic Encryption, even if a hacker intercepts the data, it’s encrypted
beyond recognition. They can’t alter or understand the content without corrupting it

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entirely. It’s like intercepting a secret message, trying to “fix” it, and accidentally
turning it into hieroglyphics.

4. Cryptanalysis: The Math Nerd Gone Rogue

If side-channel attacks are spies and MITM attacks are impostors, then
cryptanalysis is the evil twin of cryptography. These are the folks who look at an
encryption algorithm and think, “Challenge accepted.”
How It Works:
Instead of attacking the implementation, cryptanalysts study the math itself.

They look for weaknesses, flaws, or patterns that can be exploited.

It’s like solving a puzzle without having all the pieces — just by recognizing how
the edges fit together.
Real-World Example:
The cracking of the Enigma machine during World War II was one of the most
famous cryptanalytic victories in history. Alan Turing and his team didn’t break
the encryption by brute force — they outsmarted it.

The HE Advantage:
Modern HE schemes rely on math problems that are so hard, even quantum
computers struggle. For example, lattice-based cryptography (used in HE) is like
giving a puzzle with a trillion pieces — where each piece looks exactly the same.

Fun Fact:
The problems behind Homomorphic Encryption are considered resistant to quantum
attacks. So even if someone builds a real-life version of Tony Stark’s AI, it’ll still need a
coffee break before cracking HE.

5. The Insider Threat: Betrayal, But Make It Digital

Not all villains wear hoodies and type furiously in dark rooms. Sometimes, the
biggest threat comes from inside — disgruntled employees, careless contractors, or
that one intern who accidentally clicked “Reply All” with sensitive information.

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Real-World Example:
Edward Snowden (2013): Leaked classified NSA documents, exposing global
surveillance programs. Whether you view him as a hero or villain, it’s the
perfect example of how insider access can bypass even the strongest security.

Why It’s Scary:

You can build the strongest digital fortress, but if someone inside leaves the door
open (or worse, holds it open for attackers), all bets are off.
How HE Helps:
With Homomorphic Encryption, sensitive data remains encrypted even when
insiders access it. Employees can perform their tasks — like analyzing data or
running reports — without ever seeing the actual information. It’s like working in a
library where all the books are locked, but you can still count them and sort them
without reading the pages.

The Ultimate Plot Twist: The Biggest Threat is… Us

Yes, the biggest security risk isn’t some shadowy hacker group — it’s often human
error:

Weak passwords.

Clicking suspicious links.

Writing your PIN on a sticky note labeled “PIN.”

But here’s the good news: Homomorphic Encryption is designed to be human-

proof. Even if someone makes a mistake, the data stays encrypted.

HE’s Motto in the Face of Villains:

“Trust no one. Encrypt everything. And maybe… don’t name your Wi-Fi ‘HackMePls.’”

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Chapter 6: The Quest for Efficiency — Bootstrapping, Speed Limits, and

Why Homomorphic Encryption is Like Running a Marathon with a Jetpack
Every superhero has their Achilles’ heel. Superman has kryptonite. Thor loses his
powers without Mjolnir. And Homomorphic Encryption? Well, it’s got a little
something called inefficiency — which sounds less dramatic but is equally
annoying.

Imagine having a suit of armor so secure that nothing can break through it. Great,
right? But what if that armor is so heavy you can’t even walk straight? That’s the
paradox of Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) — it’s mathematically invincible,
but sometimes it moves slower than a buffering video on dial-up internet.

But fear not! This chapter is all about how cryptographers (myself included) are
finding ways to slap a metaphorical jetpack onto HE and make it not just secure but
fast.

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From snail-paced to supersonic — Homomorphic Encryption hits the fast lane.

1. The Bootstrapping Saga: Cryptography’s Most Annoying Superpower

Ah, bootstrapping — the word that makes cryptographers sigh louder than a Wi-Fi
drop during a video call.
What Is Bootstrapping?
Imagine running a marathon, but every mile, you have to stop, sit down, and tie
your shoelaces again. That’s bootstrapping.

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As HE processes encrypted data, it accumulates noise (think of it like static in a

phone call).

Too much noise = the data becomes useless gibberish.

Bootstrapping is the process of refreshing the data — removing the noise so you
can keep going.
Why It’s a Big Deal:
In Gentry’s original scheme (2009), bootstrapping was so slow that doing a
simple calculation felt like watching paint dry.

We’re talking hours to perform basic tasks that your phone could do in
milliseconds.
The Plot Twist:
Researchers (myself included) have been on a mission to make bootstrapping faster.
Now, instead of hours, it takes milliseconds in some systems. It’s like upgrading
from a horse-drawn carriage to a Tesla.

Pro Tip:
If someone ever tells you bootstrapping is “simple,” they either don’t understand it… or
they’re a wizard.

2. Packing and Batching: The Art of Doing More with Less

If bootstrapping is the annoying chore, packing and batching are the life hacks.

How It Works:
Instead of processing one piece of encrypted data at a time, why not process a
whole bunch simultaneously?

Think of it like ordering a dozen donuts instead of going back to the shop 12
times. (Not that I’d judge you for that.)

This technique dramatically speeds up computations, especially in AI applications

where large datasets are the norm.

Real-World Example:

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In secure machine learning, we can now process thousands of encrypted data

points simultaneously.

This isn’t just faster; it’s efficient — saving time, energy, and, let’s be honest, a
few cryptographers from existential dread.

Fun Fact:
Microsoft’s SEAL library (which I’ve worked with) is one of the best at leveraging batching
techniques. So yes, we’re basically making HE faster, one algorithm at a time.

3. Noise Management: Less Static, More Signal

Remember that noise we talked about? It’s not just an annoyance — it’s the ultimate
bottleneck in HE performance. Too much noise, and your encrypted data turns into
mathematical mush.

Noise Reduction Techniques:

Modulus Switching: Imagine adjusting the volume on your headphones to
reduce static. This technique reduces noise without losing data integrity.

Relinearization: Think of it as decluttering your workspace so you can think

clearly. It simplifies encrypted data, making computations faster.

These methods help extend the lifespan of encrypted data before it needs the
dreaded bootstrapping refresh.
Why It Matters:
Better noise management = fewer bootstrapping sessions = faster computations.

It’s like driving a car with better fuel efficiency — you can go longer without
refueling.

4. Hardware Acceleration: Giving HE a Gym Membership

Sometimes, no matter how much you optimize the software, you hit a wall. That’s
when cryptographers turn to hardware acceleration.
How It Works:

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Using specialized hardware like GPUs (thanks, NVIDIA!) and FPGAs to process
encrypted data faster.

It’s like giving HE a personal trainer who yells, “Faster! Stronger! No excuses!”
Real-World Impact:
Banks, healthcare systems, and even AI companies are now running complex
HE computations in real-time thanks to hardware acceleration.

We’re talking secure voting systems, encrypted AI models, and privacy-

preserving financial transactions — all happening at the speed of thought.

Pro Tip:
If you ever hear someone say, “HE is too slow,” just smile and whisper, “Not with the right
hardware.”

5. The Trade-Off Triangle: Security, Speed, and Functionality

Here’s the thing about cryptography: you can’t have it all.

Imagine a triangle where each corner represents:

1. Security

2. Speed

3. Functionality

You can optimize for two, but the third will suffer.

Want super-fast computations and rich functionality? You might sacrifice some
security.

Need top-tier security and broad functionality? It’ll be slower.

Homomorphic Encryption’s challenge has always been finding the sweet spot. But
thanks to years of research (and countless cups of cardamom tea), we’re finally
balancing the triangle.

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6. Real-World Speed Records: The “Cryptographic Olympics”

2019: Bootstrapping took minutes.

2021: Reduced to seconds with advanced optimizations.

Today: Some operations take less than 100 milliseconds. That’s faster than it
takes to blink. (Seriously, try it.)

This means HE is no longer just a cool academic idea — it’s practical for:

AI inference

Secure cloud computing

Real-time financial analytics

The Quest Continues:

Homomorphic Encryption isn’t just surviving — it’s thriving. What started as a slow,
clunky idea has evolved into a high-performance, privacy-preserving powerhouse.

So the next time someone says, “HE is too slow for real-world use,” you can
confidently reply:
“Not anymore, my friend. It’s got a jetpack now.”

Chapter 7: Into the Future — How Homomorphic Encryption Will Rule the
World (Or At Least Keep It Safe)
Cue the futuristic synth music. Picture flying cars zooming past AI-driven
billboards, coffee machines that know your caffeine needs before you do, and —
wait for it — data privacy that’s actually respected.

I know, it sounds like science fiction, but with Homomorphic Encryption (HE) in
the mix, this could be our reality. This isn’t just about keeping your emails safe from
nosey hackers or ensuring your Netflix recommendations remain a secret (no
judgment on your guilty pleasures). It’s about how HE is quietly becoming the

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unsung hero of the digital age, the Tony Stark of data security — minus the flashy ego
and questionable facial hair.

Let’s take a stroll through the encrypted future.

The future is encrypted — because privacy isn’t just a feature, it’s the foundation.

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1. The Rise of Confidential AI: Teaching Machines to Mind Their Own

Business
In the future, AI won’t just be smart — it’ll be respectfully smart.
Imagine AI models that can diagnose diseases, detect fraud, or predict climate
changes without ever seeing your actual data.

The Big Leap:

Today: AI learns from huge datasets, often containing sensitive personal
information.

Tomorrow: With HE, AI models will train and make predictions directly on
encrypted data. It’s like having a personal trainer who can improve your fitness
routine without ever knowing your weight. (A dream come true, honestly.)

Why It’s a Game-Changer:

Healthcare: AI can analyze encrypted medical data from hospitals worldwide to
detect disease outbreaks — without violating patient privacy.

Finance: Banks can run risk models without exposing individual financial
records, reducing fraud and insider threats.

Personal Devices: Your smart fridge will finally stop judging your midnight ice
cream habits. (Okay, maybe not, but at least it won’t leak that data.)

Pro Tip:
The future isn’t about AI getting smarter. It’s about AI getting smarter while keeping your
secrets safe.

2. The Global Privacy Renaissance: Because GDPR is Just the Beginning

Regulations like GDPR and CCPA were the early warning signs: people are waking
up to the importance of data privacy. But laws alone can’t stop breaches. That’s like
locking your front door and hoping burglars forget how to pick locks.

The Future of Data Protection:

Global Standards: HE will become the gold standard for data privacy, not just an
optional add-on.

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Data Sovereignty: Countries will demand that sensitive data remains encrypted
even when processed across borders.

Zero-Trust Environments: Companies won’t just say, “Trust us with your data.”
They’ll prove it — by never having access to your data in the first place.

Did You Know?

Post-quantum cryptography and HE are already being considered in global security
frameworks. It’s like the Avengers Initiative, but with more math and fewer flying suits.

3. Post-Quantum Cryptography: The Day the Classical Algorithms Cried

Quantum computers are like that terrifyingly smart kid in school who ruins the
grading curve for everyone else. Once they’re fully operational, they’ll be able to
break most of today’s encryption schemes like they’re solving Sudoku puzzles on
easy mode.
The Quantum Threat:
Classical encryption (like RSA) relies on the fact that certain math problems are
hard for regular computers.

Quantum computers? They’ll laugh in binary at those problems.

Where HE Shines:
Many HE schemes are based on lattice problems, which even quantum computers
find challenging. It’s like showing up to a knife fight with a lightsaber — game over.
Real-World Prep:
Governments are already preparing for “Q-Day,” the hypothetical day when
quantum computers become strong enough to break current encryption.

HE is part of the post-quantum cryptographic arsenal that’s expected to hold the

line.

Cryptographic Trivia:
The NSA has already started recommending post-quantum algorithms. Homomorphic
Encryption is basically the VIP guest on that list.

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4. Privacy-Preserving Smart Cities: Because Big Brother Doesn’t Need to

Be Creepy
In the future, cities will be smarter. Think:

Self-driving cars that communicate with traffic lights.

Sensors monitoring air quality in real-time.

Public safety systems predicting crime hotspots before crimes even happen.
(Minority Report, anyone?)

The Privacy Problem:

With all this data floating around, there’s a risk of creating a surveillance dystopia.
Do you really want your morning jog stats accidentally uploaded to some
government database? (Spoiler: No.)

HE’s Role:
Data from sensors, cameras, and devices can be encrypted from the moment it’s
collected.

Smart systems can analyze trends without ever seeing individual details.

The city runs efficiently, and your privacy stays intact.

Pro Tip:
“A smart city without Homomorphic Encryption is just a nosy city with better Wi-Fi.”

5. Homomorphic Encryption in Space: Yes, This Is a Thing

Okay, hear me out. Space exploration is the ultimate test for secure communication.
You’re sending sensitive data across literal galaxies, and you don’t want it
intercepted by… well, whoever’s out there.
Why Space Needs HE:
Secure Satellite Communication: Military, research, and commercial satellites
can process encrypted data in orbit without decrypting it.

Interplanetary Data Security: When we start colonizing Mars (because

apparently Earth wasn’t enough), HE will protect data transmissions between
planets.
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Fun Fact:
NASA has already started experimenting with quantum-resistant cryptography. Give it a
few years, and they’ll probably add HE to the mix. Imagine encrypting a selfie on Mars.
Iconic.

6. The Consumer Revolution: Because Your Toaster Deserves Privacy Too

Right now, IoT (Internet of Things) devices are like toddlers — constantly collecting
data and not great at keeping secrets. Your smart fridge knows more about your diet
than your doctor. Your fitness tracker knows when you’ve skipped leg day. It’s
adorable until it’s terrifying.
The Future of IoT:
End-to-End Encryption: Every device, from smartwatches to smart toilets (yes,
that’s a thing), will process data securely without exposing raw information.

Zero Data Leaks: Even if a hacker gets into your network, they’ll find nothing
but encrypted gibberish.

Personal Data Vaults: Imagine having a digital “safe” that controls who accesses
your personal data — and even then, they only get encrypted versions.

7. The Democratization of Privacy: HE for Everyone

The future isn’t just about big corporations and governments using HE. It’s about
you having control over your data.

Encrypted Messaging Apps: No more worrying if your private messages are

truly private.

Personal Data Wallets: You decide who accesses your information — and they
only get what’s necessary, nothing more.

DIY Data Analytics: Want to run your own analytics on encrypted personal data?
There’ll be an app for that.

The Inevitable Conclusion:

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Privacy will no longer be a privilege. It will be the default.

Future-Proof Quote:
“In the future, asking if your data is encrypted will be like asking if your car has seatbelts.
Of course it does.”

The Grand Finale: Why This Matters

This isn’t just about encryption.
It’s about trust.
It’s about reclaiming control in a world where data is currency.
It’s about building a future where privacy isn’t an afterthought — it’s the foundation.

And Homomorphic Encryption? It’s not just part of that future.

It is the future.

Epilogue: Reflections on Privacy, Trust, and Why You Should Care

So here we are — at the end of our encrypted odyssey. We’ve journeyed through
mathematical labyrinths, met cryptographic superheroes, outwitted digital villains,
and even peeked into the future where data privacy is as common as cat videos on
the internet.

But before we close the lid on this digital treasure chest, let’s take a moment to
reflect on the “Why?” behind it all.

Because this story isn’t just about Homomorphic Encryption.

It’s about trust.
It’s about freedom.
And, strangely enough, it’s about being human in an increasingly digital world.

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Your data. Your choice. Your encrypted future.

The Illusion of “Nothing to Hide”

You’ve probably heard someone say, “I don’t care about privacy — I have nothing to
hide.”
To which I respond:
“Cool. Hand me your phone. Unlock it. I just want to browse through your messages,
photos, and search history real quick.”

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Suddenly, privacy feels a bit more… personal, doesn’t it?

Privacy isn’t about hiding. It’s about agency — the ability to choose what you share,
when you share it, and with whom. It’s not just a feature. It’s a human right.

Homomorphic Encryption isn’t some abstract academic exercise. It’s a tool for
protecting the most fundamental parts of our lives — our health records, our
financial data, our personal conversations, even the AI models we trust to make
decisions for us.

Trust Without Trust

Here’s the paradox of the digital age:

We live in a world where we’re constantly told to “trust the system.”

But the system? It’s built on data — your data.

And trust, as it turns out, is fragile.

That’s why technologies like HE matter. They allow us to create systems that don’t
require blind faith.

You don’t have to trust the cloud provider — they can’t see your data.

You don’t have to trust the AI model — it can’t learn from your personal
information unless you allow it.

You don’t even have to trust people — because the math doesn’t lie.

Homomorphic Encryption is trustless trust. It’s security without secrecy. It’s privacy
by design, not by permission.

My Personal Journey with Privacy

As someone who’s spent years researching AI security and data governance — from
my days as AI-Security Researcher, to my current work in GenerativeAI-Safety
Researcher — I’ve seen firsthand how fragile data ecosystems can be.
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I’ve worked on technologies designed to protect some of the world’s most sensitive
information, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:
Data breaches aren’t a “what if.” They’re a “when.”

The only real defense is to ensure that even if (or when) that breach happens, the
data is useless to attackers. That’s the promise of Homomorphic Encryption.

It’s not just a shield. It’s a failsafe.

The Future is Encrypted

Imagine a world where:

Healthcare data can be shared globally to fight pandemics without

compromising patient privacy.

AI models can learn from encrypted datasets, making them smarter without
becoming surveillance tools.

Personal data isn’t a commodity traded like baseball cards but a resource you
control.

That world isn’t a fantasy.

It’s possible.
And Homomorphic Encryption is one of the keys to unlocking it.

A Final Thought (and Maybe a Slightly Dramatic Mic Drop)

In a world that’s increasingly digital, privacy isn’t just a technical issue.

It’s a social issue.

An ethical issue.

A human issue.

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So the next time someone tells you encryption is boring, or privacy is overrated, or
that “it’s just data,” remember this:

Your data is your identity.

Your privacy is your power.

And somewhere out there, a cryptographer (probably fueled by too much coffee
and existential dread) is fighting to protect it.

“Encrypt like no one’s watching… because with Homomorphic Encryption, they won’t be.”

The End.

— (But really, it’s just the beginning.)

References

1. Foundational Papers & Books on Homomorphic Encryption

Craig Gentry. (2009). Fully Homomorphic Encryption Using Ideal Lattices.
Proceedings of the 41st ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC).
https://doi.org/10.1145/1536414.1536440

Rivest, R. L., Adleman, L., & Dertouzos, M. L. (1978). On data banks and privacy
homomorphisms. Foundations of secure computation, 4(11), 169–180.

Smart, N. P., & Vercauteren, F. (2010, May). Fully homomorphic encryption with
relatively small key and ciphertext sizes. In International Workshop on Public Key
Cryptography (pp. 420–443). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

2. HE in AI, Cloud Computing & Practical Applications

Brakerski, Z., & Vaikuntanathan, V. (2014). Efficient Fully Homomorphic
Encryption from (Standard) LWE. SIAM Journal on Computing.
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https://doi.org/10.1137/120868669

Microsoft SEAL (Simple Encrypted Arithmetic Library). (2023). Microsoft

Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/project/microsoft-seal/

IBM HELib (Homomorphic Encryption Library). (2023). IBM Research.

https://github.com/homenc/HElib

Acar, A., Aksu, H., Uluagac, A. S., & Conti, M. (2018). A survey on homomorphic
encryption schemes: Theory and implementation. ACM Computing Surveys
(Csur), 51(4), 1–35.

3. Security & Quantum-Resistant Cryptography

Peikert, C. (2016). A Decade of Lattice Cryptography: Foundations and Applications.
Foundations and Trends in Theoretical Computer Science.
https://doi.org/10.1561/0400000074

Post-quantum cryptography: Cisa, NIST, and NSA recommend how to prepare now.
National Security Agency/Central Security Service. (2023, August 21).

Alkim, E., Ducas, L., Pöppelmann, T., & Schwabe, P. (2016). Post-quantum key
{Exchange — A} new hope. In 25th USENIX Security Symposium (USENIX Security
16) (pp. 327–343).

4. HE in Healthcare & Finance

Naehrig, M., Lauter, K., & Vaikuntanathan, V. (2011, October). Can
homomorphic encryption be practical?. In Proceedings of the 3rd ACM workshop
on Cloud computing security workshop (pp. 113–124).

Kumar, R., Kumar, J., Khan, A. A., Ali, H., Bernard, C. M., Khan, R. U., & Zeng, S.
(2022). Blockchain and homomorphic encryption based privacy-preserving
model aggregation for medical images. Computerized Medical Imaging and
Graphics, 102, 102139.

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Fontaine, C., & Galand, F. (2007). A survey of homomorphic encryption for

nonspecialists. EURASIP Journal on Information Security, 2007, 1–10.

5. Future Perspectives & Emerging Technologies

Liu, Y. K., & Moody, D. (2024). Post-quantum cryptography and the quantum
future of cybersecurity. Physical review applied, 21(4), 040501.

Chamola, V., Jolfaei, A., Chanana, V., Parashari, P., & Hassija, V. (2021).
Information security in the post quantum era for 5G and beyond networks:
Threats to existing cryptography, and post-quantum cryptography. Computer
Communications, 176, 99–118.

Boulemtafes, A., Derhab, A., & Challal, Y. (2020). A review of privacy-preserving

techniques for deep learning. Neurocomputing, 384, 21–45.

Disclaimers and Disclosures

This article combines the theoretical insights of leading researchers with practical
examples, and offers my opinionated exploration of AI’s ethical dilemmas, and may not
represent the views or claims of my present or past organizations and their products or my
other associations.

Use of AI Assistance: In preparation for this article, AI assistance has been used for
generating/ refining the images, and for styling/ linguistic enhancements of parts of
content.

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Published in Google Cloud - Community

63K Followers · Last published 22 hours ago

A collection of technical articles and blogs published or curated by Google Cloud Developer Advocates. The
views expressed are those of the authors and don't necessarily reflect those of Google.

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Written by Mohit Sewak, Ph.D.

250 Followers · 65 Following

Mohit Sewak, a PhD in AI and Security, is a leading AI voice with 24+ patents, 2 Books, and key roles at
Google, NVIDIA and Microsoft. LinkedIn: dub.sh/dr-ms

Responses (2)

Write a response

What are your thoughts?

Madhu Bagroy
Feb 12

Brilliantly written and highly relevant in today’s AI-driven world where data privacy is more crucial than ever!
Reading this has rekindled my interest in cryptography—makes me want to reread Simon Singh’s The Code
Book after ages.

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12 1 reply Reply

Eeman Yusuf
Mar 17

This is probably the best piece of homomorphic encryption I have ever seen. This piece makes the concept
very relatable, intriguing and less technical to digest. Thank you!

11 1 reply Reply

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