14015 - Cryptography

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student: - will be familiar with the mathematical foundations of modern cryptography - knows the basic public and secret keys cryptographic algorithms; - knows the basic cryptographic protocols; - is able to understand how modern cryptographic techniques work -is able to understand the fundamental security issues arising in a computer system - knows the basic results of information theory and data compression - is able to understand the connection between information theory and cryptography

Course contents

- Introduction and historical background
- Secret key cryptography
- Public key cryptography
- Confidentiality
- Authentication
- Integrity
- Digital signature
- SSL
- PGP
- Digital Certificates
- Distributed trust mechanisms
- Post-quantum cryptography

Readings/Bibliography

Handbook of Applied Cryptography, by A. Menezes, P. van Oorschot, and S. Vanstone, CRC Press, 1996

Computer Security: Principles and Practice (4th Edition), Stallings and Brown, Pearson, 2018.

Computer Security: Art and Science (2nd Edition), Matt Bishop, Addison-Wesley, 2018.

 

Teaching methods

The Course is worth 6 credits and consists of traditional lectures. 

Assessment methods

Writing a report of at least 30 pages on a topic covered in class or independently chosen by the student within the field of cryptography. Students may always choose to take an additional oral exam, and the instructor may require it whenever deemed appropriate for an accurate assessment of learning. Reports must be submitted by email on any last day of the month (12 sessions per year). Attendance does not affect the final grade and is not mandatory to take the exam. Registration on AlmaEsami is not required for submitting the report.
The purpose of the assessment method is to verify the knowledge, skills, and scientific maturity acquired by the student during the course. Through the written work, the student demonstrates mastery of the theoretical concepts and fundamental methods of cryptography, the ability to critically analyze a specific topic, and to connect it with the course content or relevant scientific literature. The report allows for the evaluation of personal depth of study, independence of judgment, and clarity in presenting content—elements that reflect the student’s scientific maturity and awareness. The exam also aims to assess the ability to communicate complex concepts in a rigorous, orderly, and precise manner, using appropriate technical language and a coherent argumentative structure. It further encourages intellectual curiosity, research aptitude, and the ability to integrate theoretical and applied knowledge into a unified and coherent framework. The optional oral exam provides a direct evaluation of understanding and clarity of exposition, ensuring a balanced overall assessment of learning.
The overall quality of the written report and the level of mastery of theoretical, methodological, and communication skills will be assessed. In the excellence range (grades 30–30 cum laude), the report stands out for originality, rigor, clarity, and analytical depth, showing full autonomy and scientific curiosity. In the good range (grades 27–29), the paper is solid, well-structured, and accurate, with strong knowledge and effective communication, though lacking exceptional features. In the sufficient range (grades 18–26), the work is adequate but limited in depth or precision, with clear but sometimes schematic exposition and partially appropriate technical language. In the insufficient range (up to grade 17), the report shows significant theoretical and methodological weaknesses, poor argumentative coherence, and limited analytical capacity, failing to meet the minimum learning objectives required.

Teaching tools

The lectures utilize overhead slides projected from a laptop computer together with a white board. The material presented during lectures will be made available in electronic format for downloading from the Course web site.

Office hours

See the website of Luciano Margara