open-quantum-safe/liboqs
Nov 2024 – May 2026
4 Months active
Languages Used
CPython
Technical Skills
CryptographyLow-level programmingMemory managementC programmingContinuous integrationPython testing
Norman Ashley
PROFILE
Norman Ashley
Contributed to the open-quantum-safe/liboqs repository by developing and refining cryptographic signature verification features, focusing on LMS and NIST-aligned workflows. Applied C and Python to implement public key handling enhancements, signature length validation, and cross-platform stability improvements, addressing memory management and multithreading concerns. Strengthened the test infrastructure using pytest and unit testing, optimizing CI feedback by skipping slow-running tests and expanding coverage for edge cases. Delivered targeted bug fixes and feature updates that improved reliability, security, and standards compliance in post-quantum cryptography. The work emphasized robust code quality, maintainability, and production readiness across diverse deployment environments and platforms.
Overall Statistics
Feature vs Bugs
50%Features
Repository Contributions
5Total
Bugs
2
Commits
5
Features
2
Lines of code
545
Activity Months4
Your Network
287 peopleSame Organization
@cisco.com257
Work History
May 2026
2 Commits • 1 Features
May 1, 20262026-05 Monthly Summary for open-quantum-safe/liboqs: Implemented LMS Signature Verification and Public Key Handling Enhancements, delivering zero-level LMS public key support, corrected loop indexing, and initialization of auxiliary data; added public key buffer processing utilities and updated NIST-based KAT hash results to improve LMS detection, matching, and verification in compliance with NIST standards. Fixed build issues (unused variable) and initialized data members to improve robustness. Expanded NIST-aligned test coverage with updated HSS/LMS key detection types and test data. These changes strengthen signature verification workflows, robustness, and conformance, delivering tangible business value through improved reliability and interoperability.
2 Commits • 1 Features
May 1, 20262026-05 Monthly Summary for open-quantum-safe/liboqs: Implemented LMS Signature Verification and Public Key Handling Enhancements, delivering zero-level LMS public key support, corrected loop indexing, and initialization of auxiliary data; added public key buffer processing utilities and updated NIST-based KAT hash results to improve LMS detection, matching, and verification in compliance with NIST standards. Fixed build issues (unused variable) and initialized data members to improve robustness. Expanded NIST-aligned test coverage with updated HSS/LMS key detection types and test data. These changes strengthen signature verification workflows, robustness, and conformance, delivering tangible business value through improved reliability and interoperability.
May 2026
April 2026
1 Commits
Apr 1, 2026April 2026: Hardened the signature verification path in liboqs and strengthened the test infrastructure. Delivered signature length validation to prevent buffer overflows, plus multi-threaded invalid-signature testing enhancements and test-build fixes to reduce CI flakiness. These changes improved security resilience, reliability, and maintainability across platforms.
April 2026
1 Commits
Apr 1, 2026April 2026: Hardened the signature verification path in liboqs and strengthened the test infrastructure. Delivered signature length validation to prevent buffer overflows, plus multi-threaded invalid-signature testing enhancements and test-build fixes to reduce CI flakiness. These changes improved security resilience, reliability, and maintainability across platforms.
November 2025
1 Commits • 1 Features
Nov 1, 2025November 2025 highlights for open-quantum-safe/liboqs: Delivered LMS Macro Support and Hash Verification Enhancements, including adding missing LMS macros, fixing a typo, updated test framework to skip slow-running tests, and aligned KAT hash results with the new calculations. Hardened the test suite for reliability and performance by skipping slow LMS tests, restricting very slow tests and slow LMS variants, and updating tests/test_cmdline.py per code review. Result: faster CI feedback, more reliable LMS/KEM verification, and clearer production readiness signals for post-quantum features. Technologies demonstrated: C/C++, pytest-based test framework, KAT/hash verification, test-suite hardening, and review-driven collaboration.
1 Commits • 1 Features
Nov 1, 2025November 2025 highlights for open-quantum-safe/liboqs: Delivered LMS Macro Support and Hash Verification Enhancements, including adding missing LMS macros, fixing a typo, updated test framework to skip slow-running tests, and aligned KAT hash results with the new calculations. Hardened the test suite for reliability and performance by skipping slow LMS tests, restricting very slow tests and slow LMS variants, and updating tests/test_cmdline.py per code review. Result: faster CI feedback, more reliable LMS/KEM verification, and clearer production readiness signals for post-quantum features. Technologies demonstrated: C/C++, pytest-based test framework, KAT/hash verification, test-suite hardening, and review-driven collaboration.
November 2025
November 2024
1 Commits
Nov 1, 2024Monthly summary for 2024-11: Focused on stabilizing the LMS path in the liboqs project and ensuring cross-platform reliability. Delivered a targeted bug fix that addresses a LMS crash and Mac-specific issues, enhancing stability of the cryptographic signing workflow and reducing production risk for deployments relying on Open Quantum Safe. Impact in brief: Improved runtime stability on LMS by correcting memory handling and signature generation logic, with cross-platform compatibility gains (Mac).
November 2024
1 Commits
Nov 1, 2024Monthly summary for 2024-11: Focused on stabilizing the LMS path in the liboqs project and ensuring cross-platform reliability. Delivered a targeted bug fix that addresses a LMS crash and Mac-specific issues, enhancing stability of the cryptographic signing workflow and reducing production risk for deployments relying on Open Quantum Safe. Impact in brief: Improved runtime stability on LMS by correcting memory handling and signature generation logic, with cross-platform compatibility gains (Mac).
Activity
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Quality Metrics
Correctness86.0%
Maintainability80.0%
Architecture80.0%
Performance76.0%
AI Usage40.0%
Skills & Technologies
Programming Languages
CPython
Technical Skills
C programmingContinuous integrationCryptographyLow-level programmingMemory managementPython testingSoftware testingcryptographymultithreadingsoftware developmentsoftware testingunit testing
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