Cryptography - the Art of Secret Writing - From Old to New

Renate Scheidler
Centre for Information Security and Cryptography
University of Calgary

ABSTRACT:
Cryptography -- literally, "hidden writing", from the Greek -- is probably as old as writing itself. Whether it is a crucial military dispatch or a secret love letter, people have been attempting to hide their private messages from prying eyes throughout history.

Since the revolution in computing and communication technology a few decades ago, we have been sending more information across unprotected channels -- such as mobile phones and the internet -- and storing more data without proper protection from unauthorized intrusion than ever before. Alas, there is a price: virus-infected computers, defaced web sites, and credit card numbers stolen over the internet, to name just a few.

Why are we unable to solve the problem of secure communication? Or are we? This lecture will give a whirlwind tour of cryptography from ancient and not so ancient times to the present. We will look at old and new challenges in cryptography and see how modern technology has revolutionized the field.