Cryptography and Computer Security

Theorethical hours: 28 h.
Exercises hours: 20 h.
Lab hours: 10 h.
Total hours: 58 h.

PRERREQUISITES AND RECOMMENDED PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE

The main goal is to offer a fundamental course on cryptography and to establish its relationship with computer security. First, the course provides an introduction to the basic concepts of cryptography, as well as to the main mathematical foundations on which it is based. The study of the methods used until the middle of the 20th century (classical cryptography) allows to learn in a simplified way the fundamentals of current cryptographic methods. Current mechanisms to provide message confidentiality, integrity and authentication, as well as the threats to which the mechanisms are exposed, are discussed in detail next. Finally, the fundamental concepts of user authentication and the most important mechanisms that achieve this goal are briefly exposed.

OBJECTIVES: KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Knowledge of the mathematical foundations of cryptography and its cryptanalysis, with special attention to number theory.
• Mastering main cryptosystem concepts and most relevant particular encryption algorithms.
• Mastering public-key based digital signature schemes.
• Knowledge of the problems associated with key management and understanding of its various solutions.
• Understanding the fundamentals of security measures, with special attention to cryptographic systems and protocols, their principles, methods and means.
• Explaining the various authentication systems, their advantages and disadvantages.
• Distinguishing the objectives of information security.

TEACHING MATERIAL

For the theoretical part, the slides for each module are included, as well as recommended reading.
For the exercises part, a list of solved exercises is included for most of the modules.
For the lab assignments, the lab statements are included along with their solutions.

 PRACTICAL ASSIGMENTS AND ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

A set of objective response quizzes are included that cover the entire course syllabus and two final exams with its solutions. The solutions of proposed lab assignments and exercises also help students to evaluate their knowledge, since they allow them to contrast their own solutions with those given.