MAT 3930

Cryptography

MW 12:00-1:15

Professor: Dan Dreibelbis

Office: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Building 14, Room 2709
Office Phone: 620-3718
Office Hours: MW 1:30-4:15, or by appointment
E-mail: ddreibel@unf.edu
Web Site: http://www.unf.edu/~ddreibel/mat3930

Text: An Introduction to Mathematical Cryptography, Hoffstein, Pipher, Silverman

Prerequisite: MAC 2312

Useful Courses: Foundations, Number Theory, Abstract Algebra, Discrete Math

Software: Maple (the lab currently has version 11)

Tentative List of Topics:

Basics of cryptography
Basics of number theory
Discrete log problem, Diffie-Hellman, and ElGamal
Rijndael
Factorization and RSA
Elliptic Curves and Elliptic Curve Cryptography

Homework:

Homework will be assigned every week on Wednesday and then collected on the following Wednesday. Assignments will be given out in class and will also be listed on the web site. The only way to learn this material is through doing lots of problems. If you don’t learn the material, then you will probably fail the exams, and thus fail the course. Moral of the story: DO THE HOMEWORK!

Exams:

There will be one midterm and the final:

Midterm:          Wednesday, March 4
Final:                Wednesday, April 22, 11:00-12:50

Exams will consist of an in-class portion and a take-home portion. Exams will not be cumulative. Of course, there are no excuses for missing an exam.

Grades: The grades will be worked out as follows:

Homework:              30%
Midterm:                  35%
Final:                        35%

Important Dates:

January 19:        MLK Day, no class
March 16-21:     Spring Break, no class
March 27:           Last Day to Withdraw

Office Hours:

My office hours are Monday and Wednesday 1:30-4:15, or by appointment. Take that "by appointment" seriously: If you cannot make my scheduled office hours, I am more than willing to meet with you at other times. I have no pity for people who did poorly in my class, but never came to talk to me outside of class. My office is Room 2709, second floor in Building 14. I am a big, big fan of office hours, you are strongly encouraged to come to visit me.