Introduce cryptography & security fundamentals, including security threats and vulnerabilities as well as security services for modern e-commerce and mobile applications.

[Introduction to information and network security] Why security is an important issue. [Threats and vulnerabilities] Threats from passive and active attackers, such as: identity interception, masquerade, replay, data interception, manipulation, repudiation, denial-of-service, traffic-analysis, mis-routing and digital pests such as: trojan horse, virus, worms. [Security services, components and policies]. Security services such as: data confidentiality, data integrity and Email security. Security policies. Access control mechanisms. [Cryptography] Introduction of classical and modern cryptographic techniques and demonstration of the application of cryptography in the provision of security services. [Symmetric-key cryptography] Stream ciphers and classical Feistel-block ciphers. Examples such as: DES, IDEA, RC-5 and AES. [Introduction to Cryptanalysis] Cryptanalysis of classical ciphers and determination of cipher strength. [Public-key cryptography] The requirements of public-key cryptography. The intractability of factoring and calculating discrete logarithms. The RSA and El Gamal schemes and implementation issues. Elliptic curve cryptography. Identification and digital signature schemes. Zero-knowledge schemes. The DSA digital signature standard. Public key infrastructure. [Key management] Key distribution, key-sharing. Use of key distribution centres, authentication servers and certification authorities.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Identify potential threats and vulnerabilities in information systems/networks Describe different security services Demonstrate the application of cryptography in the provision of security services Explain the operation of modern stream and block ciphers Apply cryptanalysis techniques to ciphers to evaluate their effectiveness Demonstrate an understanding of critical issues in key management and distribution schemes

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Lectures/Labs