https://padraignix.github.io/Quantumly Confused is a blog that explores the fascinating world of quantum computing and cybersecurity. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you will find something interesting and informative here. You will learn about the basics of quantum mechanics, the challenges and opportunities of quantum technology, and the latest developments and breakthroughs in the field. You will also discover how quantum computing can impact various domains, such as cryptography, artificial intelligence, and more. Join me on this journey to unravel the mysteries and potentials of quantum computing while staying secure. 2025-08-21T00:37:26-04:00 Patrick Downing https://padraignix.github.io/ Jekyll © 2025 Patrick Downing /assets/img/favicons/favicon.ico /assets/img/favicons/favicon-96x96.png 2025-08-20T20:00:00-04:00 2025-08-20T20:00:00-04:00 https://padraignix.github.io/ctf/2025/08/20/defcon33-quantumvillage-shapiro/ Patrick Downing

This blog post covers my experience at DEF CON 33's Quantum Village, focusing on the quantum key distribution (QKD) data interception challenge and solution.

2025-08-16T17:00:00-04:00 2025-08-20T23:53:08-04:00 https://padraignix.github.io/ctf/2025/08/16/defcon33-quantumvillage-entropy-heist/ Patrick Downing

This blog post covers my experience at DEF CON 33's Quantum Village, focusing on the post-quantum cryptography ML-DSA-65 "The Entropy Heist" challenge and solution.

2024-09-14T08:59:00-04:00 2024-09-14T08:59:00-04:00 https://padraignix.github.io/ctf/2024/09/14/cryptographic-coprocessor-build/ Patrick Downing

This blog post goes through the custom build of the NSEC 2024 badge Phospholipid addon. As part of the CTF, for successfully dumping the addon's flash, a set of raw components was provided to build our own version. This will cover the journey to get the cryptographic coprocessor working with the original NSEC badge.

2024-05-25T08:59:00-04:00 2024-05-27T10:56:04-04:00 https://padraignix.github.io/ctf/2024/05/25/nsec2024-badgelife-addon/ Patrick Downing

This blog post provides a detailed walkthrough of the NSEC 2024 hardware badge addon (Phospholipid) track, diving into the intricacies of the W25Q64JV chip and memory protection, and working with the ATECC608B cryptographic chip to solve a Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) challenge.

2023-12-02T08:00:00-05:00 2024-01-04T11:53:25-05:00 https://padraignix.github.io/trench-talk/2023/12/02/mc-cloud-infrastructure/ Patrick Downing

Journey of building a production-grade Minecraft server in the cloud, including management, monitoring, and observability - all for free!