If you think of software as a building, you might say it’s made up of code blocks. Many of these building blocks are custom-built for a specific application; others arrive on site pre-cast, because they’re standard components and used in many buildings. Cryptographic algorithms and functions are a prime example of this. They’re built into software to encrypt data and communication flows. But as these building blocks age and become brittle, the security of the entire application degrades. In a qualitative interview study with 21 international participants, CISPA researcher Alexander Krause explored the challenges faced by experienced software developers when they want to renew existing crypto implementations—or even create better cryptographic building blocks from scratch. The CISPA study will be presented on August 14, 2025, at the Usenix Security Symposium in Seattle, USA.

Hydration significantly boosts ion conductivity in Ba₇Nb₄MoO₂₀, a promising ceramic electrolyte candidate for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells. But its origin and mobile ionic species were unresolved issues. Researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo found that exposure to water vapor enhances oxide-ion mobility by increasing interstitial oxygen ions, nearly doubling the oxide-ion conductivity at 500 °C. The findings of this study could advance the development of efficient and durable fuel cells for clean energy applications.