MS3S05 - Cryptography and Information Security 01 Jul 2022 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 5
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | MS3S05 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | Cryptography and Information Security | ||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science | ||
| Faculty Group: | Computing and Mathematical Sciences | ||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Mathematical Sciences | ||
| Module Leader: | Stephanie Perkins | ||
| Module Team: | Graeme Boswell, John Wyburn, Paul Messenger | ||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2015 | Final Year of Intake: | 2017 |
| Date Closed: | |||
| Credit Value: | 20 | Credit Level: | 6 |
| Language: | English | ||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | ||
| Equivalent Module: | |||
| HECOS codes: | 100403 - mathematics | ||
| HECOS Code Weighting: | 100 | ||
Document Version Information
| Version | 5 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Jul 2022 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2028 |
Module Aims
To give students an understanding of mathematical cryptology and its application to computer and data security.
Content Summary
Number theory: Euler's totient function, quadratic residues, primitive roots, discrete logarithms, factorisation, primality testing, complexity of cryptographic algorithms.
Encryption methods: Simple and historical ciphers (Caesar, Vigenère, transposition, Playfair, Enigma), Exponential ciphers, Public-key methods (Rivest Shamir and Adleman (RSA), ElGamal, Knapsack), Stream ciphers (one-time pad, linear feedback shift register), Block ciphers (Data Encryption Standard, Advanced Encryption Standard), Elliptic Curve ciphers.
Cryptological concepts: Models of the Plaintext Source including the 1-gram, 2-gram and Markov models. Entropy, Redundancy and Unicity. Principles of Cipher Design, Kerckhoffs’ Principles, Shannon’s Criteria.
Cryptanalysis: Statistical methods, exhaustive key search, Bayesian cryptanalysis, passive and active attacks, known plaintext and chosen plaintext attacks
Digital signatures: Secrecy, authentication, integrity, non-repudiation, digital certificates, public-key infrastructure
Cryptographic protocols: Key exchange and key management (Diffie-Hellman and Needham-Schroeder protocols), secret sharing, cryptographic hash functions, bit-commitment, oblivious transfer, zero knowledge proof, further contemporary protocols.
Introduction to Quantum cryptography
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 48 |
| Tutorial | 24 |
| Independent Study | 72 |
| Directed Study | 56 |
| Total Hours Selected | 200 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Explain the strengths, weaknesses and underlying theory of the various methods and protocols. |
| LO2 | Encrypt and decrypt data by a variety of methods and carry out various cryptographic protocols. |
Module Requisites
N/A
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous Assessment | Practical Coursework 1 (Asynch) | Practical Coursework | 0 | 1000 | 20 | No | 40 |
| Synchronous Onsite Assessment (Exam) | Onsite Closed Book Examination 1 | Examination | 180 | N/A | 80 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | ||
| Practical Coursework 1 (Asynch) | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Onsite Closed Book Examination 1 | ✔ | ✔ | |