Introduction to Cryptography

All that you ever wanted to know about cryptography in this new course from the Computer and Statistics Center at CEU.

How messages can be transmitted, or stored, securely so that no unauthorized person gets knowledge of the content? How can one guarantee that the message finally arrives at the right hands exactly as it was transmitted?

In cyber age those problems are more important than they were before. These days not only military and diplomatic services need cryptographic Al tools. We are watched by governments, our everyday activity is subject to unauthorized information gathering. In order to preserve at least a minimal privacy from the peeking eyes, we must employ technologies which were developed in the last few decades.

During this short course we will see:

• how secret services are collecting information;
• what are the basic ideas behind encrypting/decrypting;
• how the best security can mean nothing if used wrongly.

Course details

Level: Beginner
Instructor: Laszlo Csirmaz
Duration: 5 days
Requirements for pass: - (see the course's instructor)
When the course is offered: see the list of courses for the current semester and/or the UIS

Lecture notes

Presentation material used in the lecture:

• Lecture 1
  What is crypto? old and new cryptosystems; topics to be covered.
• Lecture 2
  Modern cryptography &endash; the art of the impossibility.
  Protocols, electronic money, proof of knowledge, crypto without computers .
• Lecture 3
  Cryptographic attacks -- protect the right thing!
  Famous mistakes, error by negligence.