IERG4150 Introduction to Cryptography (Fall 2024)

🌕/🌒
Instructor: Sherman S. M. Chow
Teaching Assistant: PAN Ying-yu, SHB726, py022
(@ie.cuhk.edu.hk)

Basic Information

Cryptography is essential in many cyber security goals and many application domains. This course introduces students with a foundation of theory of cryptography and its application, including introductions to number theory, symmetric-key cryptography, public-key cryptography, and a brief overview of the research advances.
  • Time and Venue:
    • 2:30PM - 4:15PM, Tuesday, Science Centre L3
    • 4:30PM - 5:15PM, Thursday, Science Center L4
  • Tutorial Session (for revision, optional but recommended):
    • 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM, Thursday, Science Center L4
      (19/9 (inclusive) - the end of teaching period)
  • Current Class composition: BEng(IE), BEng(MIE), MSc(IE)
  • "Prerequisites": basic modular arithmetic, discrete probabilities, simple combinatorics, familiarity with logics, proofs, and the concept of algorithm's time complexity
  • Students who have taken IERG4130, or other ECLT, IEMS courses on cryptography can also take this class.

Schedule

(slides will be moved to Blackboard after the add/drop period)
  1. 3/9: O. Overview, Logistics
    5/9: I. One-Time Pad and its Security Proof
    [Reading: Preface, Chapter 0]
  2. 10/9: I. One-Time Pad (cont.)
    12/9: II. Provable Security.
  3. 17/9: II. Provable Security (fin.)
    19/9: III. Secret Sharing
    [Slides: 2-otp-proof, 3-xor-sss]
  4. 24/9: III. Secret Sharing
    26/9: IV. Basing Cryptography on Intractable Computation
    [Assignment 1 released]
  5. 1/10: [Holiday]
    3/10: IV. Basing Cryptography on Intractable Computation (fin.)
  6. 8/10: V. Pseudorandom Generators
    10/10: V. Pseudorandom Generators (fin.)
    [Slides: 5-prg-feedback, 5-potp-proof]
  7. 15/10: VI. Pseudorandom Functions
    [Assignment 2 released]
    17/10: VII. Chosen-Plaintext Attacks
  8. 22/10: VII. Chosen-Plaintext Attacks (fin.) [Slides: 7-prf-cpa]
    VIII. Block Cipher Modes of Operation
    24/10: Special Topics (not in mid-term/exam syllabus):
    Applications of PRG and PRF (or a Preview of ENGG5383)
  9. 29/10: [Mid-term]
    31/10: IX. Chosen-Ciphertext Attack
  10. 5/11: IX. Chosen-Ciphertext Attack (fin.)
    X. Message Authentication Code
    7/11: X. Message Authentication Code (fin.)
    [Slides: 10-enc-then-mac]
  11. 12/11: XI. Hash Function
    14/11: [94th Congregation, class suspended]
  12. 19/11: XIII: RSA & Digital Signatures
    21/11: XIV: Diffie-Hellman Key Agreement
  13. 26/11: XV: Public-Key Encryption [Slides: 15-hybrid-enc]
    [Revision 1]
    28/11: [Revision 2, Assignment 3 released]
  14. 20/12: [Final Exam (New Asia College Gymnasium 9:30-12:00)]

Workload and Link

Textbook [Required, but free]:

Workload:

  1. 3 Written Assignments [check Blackboard] (40%)
  2. Mid-Term Exam [Scope: Chapter 0 - 7] (20%)
  3. Final Exam [Scope: Chapter 0 - 11, 13 - 15] (40%)
  4. Class Participation (physical attendance, tiny bonus for the top 10% Piazza "contributor")
Leisure Reading: Prior Offering: Standard Stuff: