ICS 423: Data Security and Cryptography I

Description: History of secret communication and confidential data storage. Elements of cryptography and cryptanalysis. Classical ciphers. Symmetric key cryptography. Public key cryptography. Data security in cyber space.

Objectives

• Students understand the main techniques of data security and secret communication, from classical ciphers to modern crypto systems.
• Students acquire a basic capability to reason about secrecy and evaluate security of simple cryptographic constructs within the main models
• Students are able to analyze the need and the suitability of cryptographic primitives in standard applications.
• Students are provided a solid foundation for study non-textbook cryptography and of practical cryptographic applications
• Students’ knowledge of data protection and cryptographic techniques is sufficient for practical applications and for research into security.
• Students can function effectively in teams to accomplish a common goal.
• Students have an understanding of social issues of data security and confidentiality, and of particular cryptological and cryptanalytic techniques.
• Students can communicate effectively with a range of audiences concerned with the basic problems of data protections and cryptography.
• Students can analyze the impact of cryptography on individuals, organizations, and society.

Course Learning Outcomes: See objectives.

Prerequisites: 222 or consent

Textbook(s): 1. Douglas R. Stinson, Cryptography. Theory and Practice. (3rd edition) Chapman and Hall 2005 2. Serge Vaudenay, A Classical Introduction to Cryptography. Springer 2006 3. Alan G. Konheim, Computer Security and Cryptography. Wiley 2007

Grading: 3 homework assignments (25%), midterm test (25%), project and class presentation (25%), final exam (25%)

Schedule

• Week 1. Introduction: History of secret communication and data security
• Week 2-3. Classical ciphers and cryptanalysis
• Week 4-7. Information theory of secret communication (a) Probability and information (b) Perfect secrecy (c) Redundancy and unicity distance
• Week 8. Midterm Test
• Week 8-11. Symmetric key cryptography (a) Confusion and diffusion (b) Feistel networks (c) Block ciphers (d) Stream ciphers
• Week 12-15. Public key cryptography (a) One-way and trapdoor functions (b) Classic public key primitives (c) Semantic and adaptive security
• Week 16. Overview and outlook
• Week 16. Final exam