Cryptography and Computer
Security for Undergraduates
Suzanne E. Gladfelter
Penn State York
sgladfelter@psu.edu
www.yk.psu.edu/~sg3
March 4, 2004
Course Overview
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Introductory course
Team taught, multidisciplinary
Pre-requisites
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5th semester standing (juniors)
Completed college algebra
Minimal computing experience (user)
March 4, 2004
ACM SIGCSE - Norfolk, VA
Course Content
“Computing is a broad field that extends
beyond the boundaries of computer science”
(CC2001)
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Science, Technology & Society
www.yk.psu.edu/~sg3/sts497a
Bibliography of resources
March 4, 2004
ACM SIGCSE - Norfolk, VA
Course Content
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Strong historical component
Mathematics
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Number theory
Relevant math as needed to discuss RSA & PGP
Computer Science
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Tie together and implement
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March 4, 2004
Historical algorithms
Mathematics
ACM SIGCSE - Norfolk, VA
Where Does This Course “Fit”
in CS/IST Curriculum?
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Elective
Support course
Fulfill general education requirements
March 4, 2004
ACM SIGCSE - Norfolk, VA
How is cryptography integrated
into CS/IST curriculum?
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CS0 / IST Intro
Programming / Algorithms
Network security / Wireless
Database / Mobile technologies
Web technologies / E-commerce
March 4, 2004
ACM SIGCSE - Norfolk, VA
CC2001 - Cryptography Topics
AL9. Cryptographic algorithms
[elective]
NC3. Network security [core]
Minimum core coverage time: 3
hours
Topics:
√ Historical overview of cryptography
√ Private-key cryptography and the
key-exchange problem
√ Public-key cryptography
√ Digital signatures
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Security protocols
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Applications (zero-knowledge
proofs, authentication, and so on)
Topics:
√ Fundamentals of cryptography
√ Secret-key algorithms
√ Public-key algorithms
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Authentication protocols
√ Digital signatures
√ Examples
March 4, 2004
ACM SIGCSE - Norfolk, VA
CC2001 – Cryptography Learning
Objectives
AL9. Cryptographic algorithms [elective]
NC3. Network security [core]
Minimum core coverage time: 3 hours
Learning objectives:
√ Describe efficient basic number-theoretic
algorithms, including greatest common
divisor, multiplicative inverse mod n, and
raising to powers mod n.
√ Describe at least one public-key
cryptosystem, including a necessary
complexity-theoretic assumption for its
security.
Learning objectives:
√ Discuss the fundamental ideas of publickey cryptography.
√ Describe how public-key cryptography
works.
√ Distinguish between the use of private- and
public-key algorithms.
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Summarize common authentication
protocols.
√ Generate and distribute a PGP key pair and
use the PGP package to send an
encrypted e-mail message.
√ Summarize the capabilities and limitations
of the means of cryptography that are
conveniently available to the general
public.
March 4, 2004
ACM SIGCSE - Norfolk, VA
PSU Center of Academic Excellence
for Information Assurance Education
http://net1.ist.psu.edu/cica/home.htm
http://net1.ist.psu.edu/cica/
March 4, 2004
ACM SIGCSE - Norfolk, VA