Course Title: Cryptography

Level: Undergraduate
Primary Text: Everyday Cryptography by Keith Martin (2nd edition, 2017)
Course Duration: 14 Weeks (1 semester)
Mode: Lecture + Exercises/Discussion

Course Description

This course introduces undergraduate students to the principles, mechanisms, and applications of modern cryptography. Using Keith Martin’s Everyday Cryptography as the main text, students will explore the cryptographic foundations of secure communication, data protection, and trust in digital systems. The course emphasizes practical understanding, real-world applications, and critical thinking about cryptographic technologies.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

  1. Explain fundamental principles of classical and modern cryptography.
  2. Analyze cryptographic techniques for confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation.
  3. Apply symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic methods to solve practical security problems.
  4. Evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of cryptographic systems.
  5. Understand the role of cryptography in real-world systems such as the Internet, e-commerce, mobile communication, and blockchain.

Weekly Outline

Week 1: Introduction to Cryptography

  • What is cryptography? (everyday perspective)
  • The role of cryptography in digital life
  • Security services and principles (CIA triad, beyond)
  • Case Study: WhatsApp and end-to-end encryption

Week 2: Classical Cryptography

  • Historical ciphers: substitution, transposition, frequency analysis
  • Strengths and weaknesses of classical techniques
  • Hands-on: Caesar cipher, Vigenère cipher

Week 3: Modern Cryptography Foundations

  • Transition from classical to modern cryptography
  • Concepts of key-based cryptography
  • Security goals: confidentiality, integrity, authentication, non-repudiation
  • Cryptanalysis basics

Week 4: Symmetric-Key Cryptography

  • Stream ciphers vs. block ciphers
  • DES, 3DES, and AES
  • Modes of operation (ECB, CBC, CTR, GCM)
  • Lab: Encrypting messages with AES (Python/OpenSSL demo)

Week 5: Hash Functions and Integrity

  • Properties of cryptographic hash functions
  • MD5, SHA-1, SHA-2, SHA-3
  • Message authentication codes (MACs)
  • Applications: digital fingerprints, checksums

Week 6: Public-Key Cryptography I

  • Motivation for public-key cryptography
  • RSA fundamentals (key generation, encryption, decryption)
  • Computational problems (factoring, discrete logarithm)

Week 7: Midterm Exam + Review

  • Coverage: Weeks 1–6
  • Format: multiple-choice, short essay, problem-solving, cipher exercises

Week 8: Public-Key Cryptography II

  • Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) overview
  • Diffie-Hellman key exchange
  • Digital signatures (RSA, DSA, ECDSA)
  • Lab: Key exchange demo with Diffie-Hellman

Week 9: Authentication and Digital Certificates

  • Passwords, challenges, and authentication protocols
  • PKI and digital certificates
  • Trust models and certificate authorities (CAs)
  • SSL/TLS and HTTPS in action

Week 10: Cryptography in Everyday Applications

  • Email security: PGP, S/MIME
  • Secure web browsing (HTTPS, TLS)
  • Mobile communication (GSM, 4G/5G security)
  • Payment systems and e-commerce

Week 11: Cryptography in Emerging Technologies

  • Cryptography in cloud computing
  • Blockchain and cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum)
  • Smart contracts and decentralized trust
  • Case study: Blockchain security failures

Week 12: Cryptography and Society

  • Legal and ethical issues in cryptography
  • Government surveillance and encryption debates
  • Export controls and regulations
  • Cryptography vs. privacy: The Apple vs. FBI case

Week 13: Attacks and Limitations

  • Side-channel attacks
  • Social engineering and poor key management
  • Cryptanalysis of weak ciphers
  • Quantum computing and the future of cryptography

Week 14: Final Exam + Lessons Learned

  • Comprehensive coverage of Weeks 1–13
  • Reflective discussion: Cryptography in students’ future careers
  • Closing activity: “Cryptography in 2035 – What’s Next?”

Assessment & Grading

  • Class Participation & Quizzes – 15%
  • Labs/Hands-on Exercises – 25%
  • Midterm Exam – 20%
  • Group Project (Applied Cryptography Case Study) – 15%
  • Final Exam – 25%

References

  • Martin, Keith. Everyday Cryptography: Fundamental Principles and Applications. 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press, 2017.
  • Stallings, William. Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practice. 8th Edition, Pearson, 2017.
  • Paar, Christof, and Pelzl, Jan. Understanding Cryptography: A Textbook for Students and Practitioners. Springer, 2010.
  • Schneier, Bruce. Applied Cryptography. 2nd Edition, Wiley, 1996.

Materials:

Exercises:

  • Technologies and Cryptography (Identify Technologies & Classify Goals)