CEMA 0906 - Cryptography

Institution:

Brown University

Subject:

Description:

This course will cover the history of cryptography from ancient times to the present day. We begin by discussing the simple Caesar-shift cipher and go on to more sophisticated poly-alphabetic ciphers such as the Vigenere cipher and the subsequent invention of cipher discs. We will study some of the best known archeological ciphers, the Rosetta stone and Linear B, and the methods used to break them and give us insight intohistory. We will devote several sessions to the workings of the Enigma machine used by the German army in WWII, and the factors which enabled the Polish and the British to break the cipher. Over the duration of the course, we will develop an understanding of the mathematical concepts used in ciphers and cipher-cracking, such as combinatorics, frequency analysis, and factoring of large numbers into primes. The course will include daily hands-on activities in code creation and code breaking. Fc vlr zxk obxa qefp, vlr tfii ilsb qeb zixpp!

Credits:

0.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.brown.edu

Phone Number:

(401) 863-1000

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

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