COS 430 - Cryptography

• Course Description

Prerequisites: COS 206 Survey of Information Security and Assurance, COS 354 Network Security, MAT 180 Finite Math 1: Logic and Combinatorics

The course introduces the principles of number theory and the practice of network security and cryptographic algorithms. Topics include: Primes, random numbers, modular arithmetic and discrete logarithms. Conventional or symmetric encryption (DES, IDEA, Blowfish, Twofish, Rijndael) and public key or asymmetric encryption (RSA, Diffie-Hellman), key management, hash functions (MD5, SHA-1, RIPEMD-160, HMAC), digital signatures, certificates and authentication protocols (X.509, DSS, Kerberos), electronic mail security (PGP, S/MIME), web security and protocols for secure electronic commerce (IPSec, SSL, TLS, SET).

• Goals and Objectives
  • DES - Data Encryption Standard
  • IDEA - International Data Encryption Algorithm
  • AES - Advanced Encryption Standard - Rijndael
  • MD4, MD5 - Message Digest Algorithms
  • SHS - Secure Hash Algorithm and Standard
  • RSA - Public Key Algorithms
  • Diffie Hellman Key Exchange
  • Authentication Systems for People and Computers
  • Kerberos V4 and V5
  • Electronic Mail Security
    • S/MIME Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension
    • PGP - Pretty Good Privacy
  • IP and Web Security
  • Protocols for secure electronic commerce
  • Concepts of Digital Watermarking and Steganography
• Requirements

Students will be required to demonstrate their knowledge of Cryptography through examinations, assigned projects and the Capstone project. An individualized Capstone project will allow each student to develop an in-depth understanding of a particular aspect of networking and will allow the students to demonstrate his/her ability to apply newly learned skills and concepts to the instructor and his/her classmates.

• Method of Instruction

Lectures and demonstrations covering the above listed material will be further supplemented student projects. Lectures will provide general conceptual overviews and demonstrations of cryptographic technology. Project assignments will be (to the greatest extent possible) tailored to the participants' needs. Materials from outside sources will be used for added emphasis. All information and material presented in class and through assigned readings are to be considered fair game in any exam.

• Method of Evaluation

The examinations will be comprised of questions that test the student’s knowledge of the concepts along with their ability to apply those concepts to real-world issues. The Capstone project will be evaluated on content, form, presentation and the ability of the student to conduct independent in-depth research on topics of value with the Cryptography and Information security area. Assignments will be required to demonstrate understanding of the concepts being discussed. Students will be expected to participate and collaborate with their classmates and the course instructor. Attendance at all classes without participation does not warrant a full 10% in the over-all course grade.