625.680.8VL - Cryptography

Course Structure

The course materials are divided into Lectures which can be accessed by clicking on the Modules tab on the course menu. Each Lecture folder will have several sections including the instructor lecture notes, recommend readings, a link to the associated discussions, and assignments. The assignments can also be accessed via the Assignments tab. You are required to watch the live lectures within 48 hours of the of their posting if you do not attend the live class. You are also encouraged to read through the instructor lecture notes and recommended reading. Homework will be assigned after each lecture and due the following Tuesday before class. In addition to the main content of the course, students will be presenting on and responding to topics of interest related to cryptography in the discussion boards. These presentations should be short (about 10 to 15 minutes) and there will be 1 or 2 a week. It is expected that you will watch these presentations and participate in associated discussions. You should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.

Course Topics

• Basics and history of cryptoglogy
• Stream ciphers and randomization
• Fiestel ciphers (DES)
• AES
• Modes of operation
• Standard attacks against symmetric cryptography
• Computationally infeasible problems (discrete logs and factoring)
• RSA, Diffie-Hellamn, and other schemes
• Signatures and Key Exchanges
• Alternative discrete logarithm group (Elliptic curves)
  

Course Goals

The goal of this course is to give students a fundamental understanding of basic cryptologic concepts ubiquitous in the information driven world.  This includes the mathematics beneath the algorithms, structure, classification and abilities of current cryptographic systems, and the direction future algorithms may take. 

By the end of this course, you will be able to: 

• Understand basic design principles of symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, what makes certain designs weak and why key lengths are not always indicators of a systems security.
• Learn how many standard analytic attacks work and thereby how to avoid common design flaws.
• Specify how cryptographic tools are applied to achieve privacy and authentication.
  

Textbooks

Understanding Cryptography  by Christof Paar and Jan Pelzl, (Springer 2010).

Required Software

None. Although some homework assignments may require the use of a computer; the student is free to use any programming language with which he/she is comfortable.

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that each week you will need to work for 6 - 10 hours. Here is an approximate breakdown:  watching live/recorded lectures (approximately 2–3 hours per week), reading the assigned sections of the texts and other readings (approximately 1-2 hours per week), participating in discussions (approximately 1-2 hours per week), and problem sets (approximately 2–3 hours per week).

Your final grade will be broken down as follows: 

• Weekly Problem Sets: Each week a graded problem set will be assigned on Wednesday and due the following Tuesday before class. These assignments will be returned weekly, providing frequent feedback. Late assignments will not be accepted, however the lowest homework grade will be dropped. The remaining 10 grades will have the combined worth of 30% of your final grade. You are to complete these assignments individually.   

• Group Project  Each student will be required to do a course group project during the second half of the semester.  The topics will vary and can be discussed with the instructor. The students will present their project during the live lecture on class or on December 3rd.  The group project is worth 10% of your final grade. More information to come on these later in the semester. 

• Class Participation/Discussions: Students will be expected to participate either during the live lecture or via discussion boards throughout the semester. Each week students will have the opportunity to present either their response to a specific topic live or via the discussion board.  Every student should present at least once during the semester. Also, problems will be occasionally presented and worked out in groups during class or via the discussion boards. Each student will be expected to work on these problems and participate in the class discussions. Participation during the live lecture or via the class discussion boards will be worth 10% of your final grade. 

• Exams: There will be two exams given. A midterm on October 15th and the final exam on December 10th.  These exams will be timed, non-cumulative, and cover the material from the previous lectures. Each of these exams will be worth 25% of your final grade. 
  

Grading Policy

Assignments are due according to the dates posted in your Canvas course site. You may check these due dates in the Calendar or the Assignments in the corresponding modules. I will post grades about a week after assignment due dates.

We generally do not directly grade spelling, grammar, or handwriting. However, egregious violations of the rules of the English language will be noted without comment. Consistently poor performance in either spelling or grammar is taken as an indication of poor written communication ability that may detract from your grade. Also, if assignments are exceptionally messy or hard to read, points will be deducted. Basically, if I can't read it, I can’t grade it. So please keep your work neat. Direct copying from any sources is not allowed. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.

Final grades will be determined by the following weighting: 

Course Policies

While the lecture videos, readings, and other provided materials contain all the information you need to solve any assigned problems, you are allowed to consult other references (e.g., other textbooks) to strengthen your understanding of general concepts if you wish (except during the exam). If you accidentally find a solution to an assigned problem in such a reference, you MUST NOT read it and should work out the solution on your own. Using solutions manuals (to any text) or otherwise searching for answers to problems (including accessing websites like Chegg, Course Hero, Stack Exchange, etc.) is never permitted. You also may not consult any solutions manuals or posted solutions for the assignend problems. Using a preworked solution as a guide is consdered cheating. Not only does this violate the Academic Integrity policy, it hurts your own learning and understanding. If you need assistance, I am more than happy to provide it!

Academic Integrity Course

You should have been enrolled in an academic integrity training course shortly after registering for your first class at Johns Hopkins Engineering for Professionals. This course covers the fundamental values of academic integrity, as well as information related to our academic misconduct policy and gives guidance on proper citation, and learn how to avoid mistakes like plagiarism and other violations of academic misconduct.

The academic integrity training course can be accessed through Canvas and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. This is a pass/fail course and the grade will be posted to your transcript. All students are expected to complete the academic integrity course within their first term. For more information on our academic misconduct policy, please visit: http://ep.jhu.edu/faculty/prepare-to-teach/academic-misconduct.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as taking the words, ideas or thoughts of another and representing them as one's own. If you use the ideas of another, provide a complete citation in the source work and present the words in the correct quotation notation (indentation or enclosed in quotation marks, as appropriate) and include a complete citation to the source. See the course text for examples. 

I take academic integrity very seriously. Copying from any source is considered to be cheating as is searching the internet for solutions to the problems. The use of Chegg resources in this course will be considered cheating.  If you are caught, you will be reported to the EP Academic Integrity Officer for Academic Misconduct.  

Collaboration Guidelines

While discussion of the homework with your classmates is allowed, the assignments are intended to be done individually. Additionally, you should indicate on your assignment anyone with whom you have discussed the assignment by placing their name on the top of the first page in a clear visible location. Copying or sharing of written work and/or computer code is considered to be cheating as is searching the internet for solutions to the problems or using any solution prepared by another person. The use of AI is strictly prohibited.  The use of Chegg and is strictly prohibited. These activities will result in a grade of zero on the assignment and possible an F in the course. Discussion of exams or use of sources outside of those listed on the exam instructions is strictly prohibited and will result in an F in the course.  Contact me if you have any questions, no matter how slight, about this policy, or if you have questions about a particular assignment.

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.