Credits: 5EC
Prerequisites: Click the checklist “Do I meet the prerequisites?”
Motivation: Computers are now found in every layer of society, and information is being communicated and processed automatically on a large scale. Examples include medical and financial files, automatic banking, video-phones, pay-tv, teleshopping and global computer networks. In all these cases there is a growing need for the protection of information to safeguard economic interests, to prevent fraud and to ensure privacy.
Synopsis: Security and cryptography are essential components of any digital system. In this course, the fundamentals of secure data storage and transportation of information are described. In particular, classical (e.g. Caesar, Vigenere) and modern encryption schemes (RSA, DES, AES, Elliptic curves) are described along with their mathematical background such as number theory. Methods for authentication, data integrity and digital signatures are discussed in detail, as these are the main components of many security architectures. The course also investigates more advanced topics such as zero-knowledge proofs, secret sharing schemes and multi-party computation techniques, which are the building blocks of Privacy Enhanced Technologies. Furthermore, we provide a glimpse on cyber security and quantum cryptography.
Aim: It is the aim that at the end of the course one has a survey of the state of the art of both cryptographic algorithms and protocols for security and privacy, as well as is familiar with present applications.
Learning outcomes: The goal is to make students familiar with the basic concepts applied cryptography, including classical cryptography and modern secret key and public key cryptography. In particular, the students will acquire
- A sound understanding of the notion of security
- An understanding of the confidentiality, integrity and authenticity needs of the society
- Understand the role of cryptographic primitives including the differences between symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, the role of hash functions, digital signatures and PKI
- Understand the advanced topics in cryptography needed for the modern society with untrustworthy entities
- Understand quantum cryptography as a new technological breakthrough
Lecturers: Dr Zeki Erkin, Dr Kaitai Liang (TUD/EWI)
Examination: 3 Assignments (20%) and a written exam (80%-closed book)
Contents: Classic Systems, Symmetric Systems: DES, AES, Asymmetric Systems: RSA, Elliptic Curves, Hash Functions, Shift Registers, Authentication, Digital Signatures, Key Management, Secret Sharing, Zero-Knowledge Proofs, Multiparty Computation Techniques, Cryptographic Protocols, Advanced topics: Cyber Security, Quantum Cryptography.