7th International Workshop on Lightweight Cryptography for Security & Privacy
LightSec 2026 promotes and initiates novel research on security, privacy, and trust issues related to applications that fall under the umbrella of lightweight security. LightSec 2026 is officially an affiliated event of the renowned CHES 2026 (Conference on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems) conference. The term "lightweight" refers not only to conventional constraints on metrics such as computational and communication complexity, execution time (both throughput and latency), power, energy, area, memory capacity, and bandwidth, but also to constraints concerning the sizes of ciphertexts, public and private keys, and the compactness of proofs in zero-knowledge protocols. As new applications based on novel and advanced cryptographic schemes become increasingly ubiquitous and provide immense value to society across sectors such as AI, blockchain, IoT, and 5G/6G, they also impact a larger portion of the public, raising numerous security and privacy concerns that must be thoroughly addressed before widespread deployment. LightSec 2026 enthusiastically welcomes papers on algorithms, protocols, techniques, and their secure and efficient implementations for applications utilizing advanced cryptographic algorithms such as homomorphic encryption, zero-knowledge proofs, secure multi-party computation, cryptographic consensus protocols in blockchain applications, threshold cryptography, and post-quantum cryptography.
Objective & Scope
The main objective of LightSec 2026 is to bring together researchers and practitioners to discuss:
- Lightweight Cryptography for IoT
- Resource-constrained Security Protocols
- Privacy in Edge Computing
- Efficient implementations of Post-Quantum Cryptography
Important Dates
| Paper submission deadline | June 19, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Author notification | August 21, 2026 |
| Camera ready (pre-conference) | September 21, 2026 |
| Camera ready (post-conference) | October 26, 2026 |
| Workshop date | October 11, 2026 |
Contact Us
For any inquiries regarding LightSec 2026, please reach out:
Call For Papers
LightSec 2026 enthusiastically welcomes papers on algorithms, protocols, techniques, and their secure and efficient implementations for applications utilizing advanced cryptographic algorithms. LightSec 2026 is officially an affiliated event of the prestigious CHES 2026 conference.
Topics of Interest
We invite submissions on a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:
- Design, analysis and implementation of lightweight cryptographic schemes
- Cryptographic hardware development for constrained domains
- Side channel and fault analysis and countermeasures
- Efficient and secure post-quantum cryptographic algorithms
- Security and privacy solutions for 5G/6G networks
- Security and privacy solutions for IoT
- Fast, efficient and secure acceleration solutions
- Cryptographic solutions for RISC-V ecosystem
- Lightweight solutions for privacy-preserving ML on edge
- Efficient cryptographic solutions for blockchain
- Formal methods for analysis of lightweight protocols
- AI for cryptography
- Security and privacy implications of AI
Submission Instructions
Submissions must be anonymous, with no author names, affiliations, or obvious identifying references. Submissions must not substantially duplicate work that any of the authors has published in a journal or a conference/workshop with proceedings or has submitted or plans to submit before the author notification deadline to a journal or other conferences/workshops that have proceedings. Accepted submissions may not appear in any other conference or workshop that has proceedings.
LightSec 2026 is a refereed workshop. All submissions will undergo a rigorous double-blind peer-review process conducted by the Program Committee and external reviewers.
Submissions to LightSec 2026 must be formatted according to the Springer LNCS style. Clearly marked supplementary materials may be appended without a page limit, but reviewers are neither required to read them nor will they be printed in the proceedings. Hence, papers must be intelligible and self-contained within the 20-page bound.
LNCS Proceedings Guidelines
The proceedings will be published in Springer-Verlag’s LNCS (Lecture Notes in Computer Science) series. The final version of accepted papers must follow the LNCS guidelines, using Springer’s standard fonts, font sizes, and margins, with a total page limit of 20 pages including references and appendices. You can access the official guidelines and templates on the Springer LNCS Portal.
General Chair
Ahmet
Sınak
Akdeniz University, Türkiye
ahmetsinak@akdeniz.edu.tr
Organizing Committee
- Murat Ak, Akdeniz University, Antalya
- Sedat Akleylek, University of Tartu, Estonia
- Mustafa Alkan, Akdeniz University, Antalya
- Melis Aslan, FAME CRYPT
- Aslı Bay, Antalya Bilim University, Antalya
- Orhun Kara, İzmir Institute of Technology, İzmir
- Neşe Koçak, ASELSAN
- Kamil Otal, TÜBİTAK-BİLGEM
- Mustafa Özdemir, Akdeniz University, Antalya
- Erkay Savaş, Sabanci University, İstanbul
Program Co-Chairs
Aydın Aysu
Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina
State
University, USA
aaysu@ncsu.edu
Elif Bilge
Kavun
Barkhausen Institut & Faculty of Computer Science,
Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
elif.kavun@barkhauseninstitut.org
Poster Session Co-Chairs
Murat
Ak
Akdeniz University, Antalya
muratak@akdeniz.edu.tr
Aslı
Bay
Antalya Bilim University, Antalya
asli.bay@antalya.edu.tr
Program Committee
- Murat Ak, Akdeniz University
- Sedat Akleylek, University of Tartu
- Erdem Alkım, Dokuz Eylül University
- Aydın Aysu, North Carolina State University
- Reza Azarderakhsh, Florida Atlantic University
- Lejla Batina, Radboud University Nijmegen
- Aslı Bay, Antalya Bilim University
- Emad Heydari Beni, KU Leuven
- Begül Bilgin, Rambus
- Shivam Bhasin, Nanyang Technological University
- Rosario Cammarota, UC Irvine
- Yarkin Doroz, Nvidia
- Shibam Ghosh, INRIA
- Tim Güneysu, Ruhr University Bochum & DFKI
- Orhun Kara, Izmir Institute of Technology
- Koray Karabina, National Research Council Canada
- Elif Bilge Kavun, Barkhausen Institut & TU Dresden
- Mehran Mozaffari-Kermani, University of South Florida
- Ayesha Khalid, Queen's University Belfast
- Amir Moradi, TU Darmstadt
- Köksal Muş, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Svetla Nikova, KU Leuven
- Kamil Otal, TUBITAK BILGEM
- Melek Önen, EURECOM
- Shahram Rasoolzadeh, Ruhr University Bochum
- Francisco Rodriguez-Henriquez, CINVESTAV-IPN & CRC-TII
- Sujoy Sinha Roy, Graz University of Technology
- Erkay Savaş, Sabancı University
- Ahmet Sınak, Akdeniz University
- Cihangir Tezcan, Middle East Technical University
- Oğuz Yayla, Middle East Technical University
Venue & Travel
The main conference venue for LightSec 2026 is the Royal Seginus Hotel located in the beautiful Lara/Kundu hotel zone of Antalya, which hosts all workshop sessions, presentations, and core events.
To Royal Seginus from Airport (AYT)
By Taxi: Lara/Kundu is very close to Antalya Airport. Taxis are available 24/7 at the arrival terminal, and the journey takes about 15–20 minutes.
By Private Shuttle: Hotel transfers or private shuttle services are highly recommended for international guests.
Arriving by Car to Royal Seginus
From the airport, head south on Havaalanı-Lara Yolu, and follow Yaşar Sobutay Bulvarı directly into the Kundu hotels area. Complimentary guest parking is available at the hotel.
Accommodation
We recommend the following accommodation options for LightSec 2026 attendees:
Royal Seginus Hotel (Lara/Kundu)
Location: Lara Turizm Yolu, Kundu, Antalya.
Staying at the conference venue offers the most convenient experience. Step directly from your room into the workshop sessions and enjoy premium amenities.
Booking: Special group rates and booking instructions will be announced soon.
Visit Hotel Website →Akdeniz University Social Facilities
Location: Akdeniz University Campus, Konyaaltı, Antalya.
An affordable alternative situated on the peaceful university campus. Note: A taxi or bus transfer (approx. 30 mins) will be required to reach the workshop venue at Royal Seginus Hotel in Lara/Kundu.
Booking: Please contact the facility directly to make a reservation, mentioning "LightSec 2026".
Rezervasyon Tel: (0242) 310 20 03
Email: sosyaltesisler@akdeniz.edu.tr
🏛 Alternative Accommodation Location Details & Directions
For attendees staying at the university campus or utilizing the alternative social facilities, please find the maps and campus travel directions below:
From Antalya Airport (AYT) to Campus
By Taxi: Taxis are available 24/7 at the arrival terminals. The ride to the university takes about 25–30 minutes.
By Tram (Antray): You can take the tram from the Airport station directly to the city center and transfer to the bus lines or take the tram towards Fatih and get off at the nearest stop to the campus.
By Bus: Municipal bus number 600 or 800 connects the airport to the city center/bus terminal.
Arriving by Car to Campus
Akdeniz University is located near the D400 highway.
From West (Kemer/Muğla):
Follow D400 towards Antalya Center. The university will be on your right as you enter the
city.
Get
Directions →
From East (Airport (AYT)/Alanya/Side):
Follow D400 through the city, following signs for Akdeniz Üniversitesi.
Get
Directions →
From North (Istanbul/Ankara/Izmir):
Follow D650 and Antalya Bulvari towards Antalya City Center and then Dumlupinar Bulvari
towards
Akdeniz University.
Get
Directions →
Parking is available on campus (guest verification may be required at the gate).
Poster Session
LightSec 2026 plans to include a Poster Session as part of the workshop program. This session provides an opportunity especially for graduate and undergraduate students to present their ongoing or recently completed research in lightweight cryptography and related areas.
Detailed poster submission instructions, guidelines, and the submission link will be announced later. A separate poster session flyer/brochure will be uploaded when available.
Important Dates
| Poster submission deadline | August 1, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Author notification | September 1, 2026 |
| Camera-ready / final poster | September 15, 2026 |
| Poster session date | October 11, 2026 (within workshop) |
Submission Guidelines
Detailed submission guidelines will be provided when the poster submission system opens. In general, submissions are expected to:
- Be relevant to the topics of LightSec 2026 (see Call for Papers).
- Present original, ongoing, or recently completed research.
- Follow the formatting requirements to be specified in the guidelines.
Submission link: To be announced.
Review & Evaluation Process
The review process will assess originality, relevance, and clarity of the presented research.
Notification of Acceptance
Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by the date to be announced. Accepted posters must be prepared according to the final guidelines and presented in person during the poster session.
Poster Session Co-Chairs
Aslı Bay
Antalya Bilim University, Antalya, Türkiye
Murat Ak
Akdeniz University, Antalya, Türkiye
Registration
Registration details, payment instructions, fees, and the registration link will be announced soon. Please check this page regularly for updates.
📅 Registration Information
To be announced.
💳 Payment Instructions
To be announced.
🔗 Registration Link
To be announced.
Contact for Registration Inquiries
For any questions related to registration, please contact us at:
info@lightsec2026.com
Sponsorship
LightSec 2026 offers sponsorship opportunities for organizations interested in supporting research in lightweight cryptography, security, and privacy. Sponsor logos and details will be added as agreements are finalized. You can download our detailed sponsorship brochure in English or Turkish below:
ℹ️ TÜBİTAK Event Funding Support: LightSec 2026 is officially supported by the TÜBİTAK 2223-B Support Program for Organizing Scientific Events. For more details, please visit the TÜBİTAK 2223-B Program Page.
Sponsorship Tiers
⭐ Platinum Sponsor
Sponsor logo and details to be added.
To be announced.
🏆 Gold Sponsor
Sponsor logo and details to be added.
To be announced.
Powered By
Sponsorship Inquiries
For sponsorship opportunities and inquiries, please contact:
info@lightsec2026.com
Contact
For inquiries about LightSec 2026, please use the form below or contact us directly at info@lightsec2026.com.
Send a Message
Direct Contact
🏛 Workshop Venue
Royal Seginus Hotel (Main Venue)
Lara/Kundu
Hotel Zone
Antalya, Türkiye
📅 Workshop Date
October 11, 2026
Social & Recreation
Antalya offers a unique blend of history, nature, and sea. We provide recommended recreation suggestions for participants wishing to explore independently on October 11:
History & City Life
Kaleiçi (Old Town): Explore the narrow streets, Hadrian's Gate, and the historic marina with boutique cafes.
Sea & Sun
Konyaaltı Beach: Just minutes from the university.
Phaselis: Ancient ruins nestled right on the shore of pristine bays.
Ancient Cities
Perge & Aspendos: Visit the best-preserved Roman theater in the world and the ancient capital of Pamphylia.
Adventure & Rafting
Köprülü Canyon: Experience white-water rafting, ziplining, or hiking in a stunning national park canyon with an ancient Roman bridge.
Nature
Olympos / Chimaera: Famous for its treehouses, ancient ruins, and the eternal flames (Yanartaş).