Cryptography and applications

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Cryptography and applications

The aim of this module is to provide a basic understanding of cryptography and its application to security services. 

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Topics

One-way functions and trap-door functions; Ciphers; Symmetric and public-key ciphers; Principles of confusion and diffusion; Classical cryptography; Attacks and cryptanalysis; Attack models; Known-ciphertext attack; Known-plaintext attack; Chosen-plaintext attack; Chosen-ciphertext attack; Block ciphers and stream ciphers; Feistel network; Data encryption 

Standards (DES); DES vulnerabilities; composition of cipher functions and meet-in-the-middle attacks; Triple DES; Blowfish; AES; Block cipher modes of operation; ECB; CBC; Feedback ciphers; OFB; Counter; Pseudo and True Random Number Generators (PRNG and TRNG); Stream ciphers; Cryptographic hashes; SHA-1 – SHA-256; Birthday attack; Public-key cryptographic schemes; RSA; RSA malleability; RSA vulnerabilities; Probabilistic cryptography; RSA OAEP; Elliptic curves; Message authentication based on symmetric and public-key cryptography; Message authentication based on cryptographic hashes (MAC); Secret prefix; Secret suffix; HMAC; Public-key cryptographic schemes and digital signatures; Blind signature; Diffie-Hellman algorithm and key exchange; Approaches based on KDC (Key Distribution Centre); Approaches based on X.509 PKI. Applications of cryptography for web security: TLS. Network security: IP sec and VPN.

Target

  • BUSINESSES AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, particularly those within the scope of the project. Master’s and PhD students
  • CORPORATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR IT STAFF
  • MASTER’S AND PHD STUDENTS IN THE IT SECTOR with an interest in cybersecurity

Course structure

Module 1 - SYMMETRIC CIPHERS
8 hours
  • Block Ciphers and Stream Ciphers
  • Feistel network
  • Data Encryption Standard (DES)
  • Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
  • Block Cipher Operation Mode
Module 2 - PUBLIC KEY CIPHERS
8 hours
  • RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adle algorithm)
  • Elliptic Curves (ECC – Elliptic Curve Cryptography)
  • Introduction and advantages over RSA
  • Applications in modern systems (e.g., TLS)

 

Module 3 - STREAM CIPHERS
2 hours
  • Differences between block ciphers and stream ciphers
  • Examples of stream ciphers (RC4, Salsa20)
  • Applications in practical contexts
Module 4 - CRYPTOGRAPHIC HASHES
6 hours
  • Properties of cryptographic hashes (uniqueness, irreversibility, and data dependency)
  • SHA (Secure Hash Algorithm)/ SHA-1 and SHA-256
  • Implications for system security
Module 5 - MESSAGE AUTHENTICATION
4 hours
  • Authentication based on symmetric and asymmetric cryptography
  • MAC (Message Authentication Code)
  • Hash-based authentication: Generation and verification of authentication codes; Cryptography and applications
Module 6 - DIGITAL SIGNATURE PRIMITIVES
2 hours
  • Public-key cryptography and digital signatures
  • Legal applications and use in digital systems
Module 7 - KEY EXCHANGE METHODS
2 hours
  • The concept of ‘key exchange’
  • Exchange of asymmetric and symmetric keys
  • Digital certificates and public key infrastructure (PKI)
  • Authentication and digital signatures
Module 8 - BLOCK CIPHER USE
4 hours

•Introduction to block ciphers
•ECB (Electronic Codebook)
•CBC (Cipher Block Chaining)
•CFB (Cipher Feedback)
•OFB (Output Feedback)
•CTR (Counter Mode)

Module 9 - CRYPTOGRAPHY FOR WEB SECURITY
4 hours
  • Applications of cryptography for web and IP security

 

WORKSHOP
16 hours

Practical exercises using cryptographic software and tools, as well as the TLS and IPsec protocols.
Practical use of GPG

•Ciphers and hashes: Python (PyCryptodome, cryptography), Java (BouncyCastle), OpenSSL
•CrypTool for simulations
•Attacks and cryptanalysis; John the Ripper, Hashcat for hash attacks
•Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP for vulnerability testing
•PKI and certificates: OpenSSL, Keytool for generating X.509 keys and certificates
•Certbot for TLS
•Digital signatures and authentication: Python cryptography, OpenSSL for RSA, HMAC, ECDSA
•Network and Web Security: Wireshark for TLS analysis
•OpenVPN, StrongSwan for VPN/IPsec

Cryptography and applications

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