MATH324-12S2 (C) Semester Two 2012

Cryptography and Coding Theory

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 9 July 2012
End Date: Sunday, 11 November 2012
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Friday, 20 July 2012
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 5 October 2012

Description

This course deals with the mathematical ideas underlying modern cryptography, including algebra, number theory and probability theory.

Cryptography is the science of making and breaking secret codes: encryption is what keeps our credit card details safe when we send them over the internet. We will study the mathematics behind some of the main encryption systems in current use. Coding theory comprises a second half of the course. It provides the theory and methods for coding information so that it can be transmitted over a noisy channel and be accurately decoded by the receiver. Cryptography and coding theory draw on ideas from algebra, geometry, number theory and probability theory. The course is aimed at students majoring in computer science or mathematics. It follows on from MATH220  (Discrete Mathematics and Cryptography); it is good preparation for or a good complement  to COSC332 (Data and Network Security), COSC413 (Advanced Topics in Algorithms) and  COSC436 (Security Fundamentals). Students who do not have the appropriate background in cryptography but who wish to enroll in the course should contact the course coordinator in order to discuss their eligibility.

Learning Outcomes

  • to become familiar with the mathematics behind some of the main encryption systems currently in use
  • to develop the necessary mathematical skills to analyse the efficiency and security of cryptosystems in a rigorous mathematical setting
  • to understand the principles and theory of error-correcting codes, and the various methods for constructing them
  • to understand important ideas from classical number theory, algebra, geometry and probability theory

Prerequisites

(MATH220 or MATH221) and a further 15 points from MATH201-294

Restrictions

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Mike Steel

Lecturer

Jeanette McLeod

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Internal Assessment - TBA 50%
Final Examination 50%

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading:

Johannes Buchmann: Introduction to Cryptography, 2nd edition, Springer-Verlag, 2004.

The cryptography section of the course is based mainly on material from Buchmann;
copies of Buchmann will be held on reserve in the Engineering & Physical Sciences
Library.

Course links

MATH324 Homepage

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $622.00

International fee $3,200.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Minimum enrolments

This course will not be offered if fewer than 15 people apply to enrol.

For further information see Mathematics and Statistics .

All MATH324 Occurrences

  • MATH324-12S2 (C) Semester Two 2012
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