Cryptography – Course Overview and Foundations

[Stub] High-level course overview, syllabus highlights, grading policies, and a preview of core cryptographic themes (confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and threat models).

Topics

  • Administrative details and course structure
  • What problems cryptography solves (and does not solve)
  • Basic security properties: confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, non-repudiation
  • Real-world examples of cryptographic failures and successes

Reading and Preparation

[Stub] Link to syllabus and any introductory reading from the course textbook or recommended articles.

External Resources – Cryptography Textbooks

  • Primary text (modern cryptography focus): Jonathan Katz and Yehuda Lindell, Introduction to Modern Cryptography. See publisher listing at Barnes & Noble.
  • Math-focused option: Jeffrey Hoffstein, Jill Pipher, and Joseph H. Silverman, An Introduction to Mathematical Cryptography. See publisher listing at Springer via Bol.com.
  • Balanced course text: Heiko Knospe, A Course in Cryptography. Reviewed by the MAA at A Course in Cryptography.
  • Foundations and implementations: Alexander Stanoyevitch, Introduction to Cryptography with Mathematical Foundations and Computer Implementations. Reviewed by the MAA at Introduction to Cryptography with Mathematical Foundations and Computer Implementations.
  • Algorithmic and mathematical foundations: Duncan Buell, Fundamentals of Cryptography: Introducing Mathematical and Algorithmic Foundations. See publisher listing at MIT Press Bookstore.