CS 6830 - Cryptography

Fall. 3 credits. Student option grading.

Prerequisite: general ease with algorithms and elementary probability theory, maturity with mathematical proofs (ability to read and write mathematical proofs). Co-meets with CS 4830/CS 5830.

N. Stephens-Davidowitz.

A rigorous introduction to the theoretical foundations of the cryptography that powers much of the modern world. As this is a theoretical class, the emphasis will be on formal definitions and proofs. E.g., what does it mean to communicate securely? Can I prove that I am who I claim to be without revealing additional information (such as information that allows others to impersonate me)?

Topics include one-way functions, pseudorandom number generators, public-key encryption, zero-knowledge proofs, digital signatures, etc. We will also see some more exotic primitives, such as fully homomorphic encryption, and we might briefly discuss program obfuscation and/or cryptocurrency.