Cryptography and Society

Catalog description

Introduction to topics in mathematical cryptography, and the role of cryptography within society, in both historic and modern contexts. Cryptographic systems studied will include: early historical ciphers; the Enigma machines of WWII; modern public channel cryptography. Students will learn: to encode/decode using each system; to quantify the complexity, strength, and weaknesses of each system; to use elementary techniques from combinatorics, graph theory, abstract algebra, and number theory; about the role cryptography plays in human society. Open only to students in the Focus Program. Department consent required.