Cryptography and Network Security

Cryptography is a method of protecting information and communications through the use of codes so that only those for whom the information is intended can read and process it. The pre-fix “crypt” means “hidden” or “vault” and the suffix “graphy” stands for “writing.”

In computer science, cryptography refers to secure information and communication techniques derived from mathematical concepts and a set of rule-based calculations called algorithms to transform messages in ways that are hard to decipher. These deterministic algorithms are used for cryptographic key generation and digital signing and verification to protect data privacy, web browsing on the internet and confidential communications such as credit card transactions and email.

Network security is any activity designed to protect the usability and integrity of your network and data. It includes both hardware and software technologies. Effective network security manages access to thenetwork. It targets a variety of threats and stops them from entering or spreading on your network.

This free course develops a basic understanding of the algorithms used to protect users online and to understand some of the design choices behind these algorithms. Our aim is to develop a workable knowledge of the mathematics used in cryptology in this course. The course emphasizes to give a basic understanding of previous attacks on cryptosystems with the aim of preventing future attacks. A wide variety of basic cryptographic primitives will be discussed along with recent developments in some advanced topics like identity-based encryption, attribute-based encryption, functional encryption, two-party/multi-party computation, bitcoin and crypto-currency and postquantum cryptography. The cryptanalysis part will help us understanding challenges for cybersecurity that includes network security, data security, mobile security, cloud security and endpoint security.