Course content

The course will be given every second year, on demand, next time spring 2014.

The course will study mechanisms and properties of cryptographic protocols that establish and maintain security properties of information exchange in two-party and multiparty settings within ambient open communications networks. More complex requirements beyond basic communication secrecy and authenticity are identified in e-commerce, banking services, health informatics, digital payments and credentials, auctions, voting. The course will give models and classes of attack; computational classes, parameter and key establishment protocols; authentication protocols; commitment protocols; zero-knowledge techniques; consensus/multiparty computations; privacy-preserving protocols, and formal specification and reasoning.

Learning outcome

A. Knowledge:
1) Acquire an overview and understanding of the problems, notions, definitions, design principles and proof techniques for selected cryptographic protocols referred to in the "Academic content" section.
2) Insight into some typical applications of cryptographic protocols in networked systems, as referred to in the "Academic content" section.

B. Skills:
1) The ability to describe, analyse and construct cryptographic protocols.
2) The ability to apply proof techniques and automatic verification tools to existing and new constructions.

C. General competence:
1) Individually author a technical paper for publication.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, colloquiums, assignments and self-study.

Portfolio assessment is the basis for the grade in the course. The portfolio includes an individual paper which counts 40% and an oral exam which counts 60%. The results for the parts are given in %-scores. The grading rule for the entire portfolio is pass/fail. The minimum passing grade is 70/100 points (70%).

The paper must be submitted and approved prior to the oral examination.

Compulsory assignments

• Written paper assignment

Recommended previous knowledge

Prerequisites for the course can be found in TTM4105, TTM4135, TTM4705, TMA4155, TMA4160, TMA4150, TTT4125.

Course materials

Established at the beginning of the course.