Cryptography

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Use graduate-level literature to investigate areas of mathematics previously unfamiliar to you

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The historic struggle between code-makers and code-breakers
• The broad categories of codes and ciphers, and appropriate uses for each

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Perform simple mathematics appropriate to public-key encryption, and to cryptosystems based on polynomials over the binary numbers

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Attack classical ciphers such as Vigenère, and LFSR-based stream ciphers
• Select appropriate ciphers, cipher modes, and protocols for simple applications

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.