Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, any references to assessment tasks and on-campus delivery may no longer be up-to-date on this page.
Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.
Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students
Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor and Lecturer
Hassan Asghar
Contact via email
Room 210, Level 2, 4 Research Park Drive, Becton-Dickinson (BD) Building
Lecturer
Leslie Bell
TBA - email to make appointment.
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(COMP1010 or COMP125) and (DMTH137 or MATH1007 or DMTH237)
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
COMP6300
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides an introduction to modern applied cryptography. It deals with the concepts and techniques behind cryptographic primitives, such as hash functions, symmetric-key ciphers, public-key cryptography and digital signatures. It then explains the concept of cryptanalysis before addressing important cryptographic protocols. The unit concludes with a review of existing applications including blockchain and cryptocurrencies, electronic voting schemes, executable code signing, full disk encryption, etc.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Assessment details are no longer provided here as a result of changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.
Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students
Late Submission
No extensions will be granted without an approved application for Special Consideration. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late. For example, 25 hours late in submission for an assignment worth 10 marks – 20% penalty or 2 marks deducted from the total. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.
Supplementary Exam
If you receive Special Consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled after the normal exam period, following the release of marks. By making a special consideration application for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. Approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19.
Please check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status
Important! Please note that this is a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) unit. You will be expected to bring your own laptop computer (Windows, Mac or Linux) to the workshop, install and configure the required software, and incorporate secure practices into your daily work (and play!) routines.
Each week you should complete any assigned readings and review the lecture slides in order to prepare for the lecture. There are three hours of lectures and a one-hour workshop every week. There uses hands-on exercises to reinforce concepts introduced during the lectures; you should have chosen a practical on enrollment. You will find it helpful to read the workshop instructions before attending - that way, you can get to work quickly!
For details of days, times and rooms consult the timetables webpage.
Note that Workshops commence in week 1.
You should have selected a practical at enrollment.
Please note that you will be required to submit work every week. Failure to do so may result in you failing the unit or being excluded from the exam.
This unit makes use of discussion boards hosted within iLearn . Please post questions there; they are monitored by the staff on the unit.
Required readings for this unit:
Recommended readings for this unit:
iLearn
iLearn is a Learning Management System that gives you access to lecture slides, lecture recordings, forums, assessment tasks, instructions for practicals, discussion forums and other resources.
Echo 360 (formerly known as iLecture)
Digital recordings of lectures are available. Read these instructions for details.
Technology Used
Java or C++ programming language and GP/PARI, GnuPG, VeraCrypt, Thunderbird, Gnu Privacy Guard, Enigmail, OpenSSH, PuTTY, Ophcrack.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
The unit schedule/topics and any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19. Please consult iLearn for latest details, and check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status
Week | Topic | Reading |
1 | Introduction to Cryptography and Elementary Number Theory | Lecture Slides |
2 | Security Definitions and Modern Symmetric Ciphers 1 | Lecture Slides |
3 | Modern Symmetric Ciphers 2 | Lecture Slides |
4 | Cryptographic Hash Functions | Lecture Slides |
5 | Introduction to Public Key Cryptography and Advanced Number Theory | Lecture Slides |
6 | RSA Cryptosystem | Lecture Slides |
7 | ElGamal Cryptosystem and Elliptic Curve Cryptography | Lecture Slides |
8 | Digital Signatures | Lecture Slides |
9 | Cryptographic Protocols 1 | Lecture Slides |
10 | Cryptographic Protocols 2 | Lecture Slides |
11 | Advanced Cryptosystems (Lattice-based Cryptography) | Lecture Slides |
12 | Advanced Cryptographic Protocols (Zero-knowledge Protocols) | Lecture Slides |
13 | Revision and Exam Preparation | Lecture Slides |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
At the end of the semester, you will receive a grade that reflects your achievement in the unit
Your final grade depends on your performance in each assessment task and on your ability to perform well enough on the hurdle assessment tasks.
For each task, you receive a mark that reflects your standard of performance. Then the different component marks are added up to determine an aggregated mark out of 100. In order to pass the unit, this aggregated mark needs to be at least 50.
You also need to be achieve a minimum standard of performance on the hurdle assessment tasks.
Hurdle Assessment Task
Not that assignment submission in this unit is not a hurdle requirement. However, if you do not make a reasonable attempt at the two assignments, you will be unlikely to pass the unit.
Your final grade is then a direct reflection of the aggregated mark (provided that you satisfy the hurdle requirements) according to the following:
If you receive special consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled in the interval between the regular exam period and the start of the next session. By making a special consideration application for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. You can check the supplementary exam information page on FSE101 in iLearn (bit.ly/FSESupp) for dates, and approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.
If you are given a second opportunity to sit the final examination as a result of failing to meet the minimum mark required, you will be offered that chance during the same supplementary examination period and will be notified of the exact day and time after the publication of final results for the unit.
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
The lectures are the primary activity for this unit. While the lecture notes or slides will be available on iLearn, a lot of supporting detail and explanation is presented in the lectures, so skipping them is inadvisable.
The practicals provide opportunities for hands-on learning in three primary areas: low-level programming skills, the number theory which underlies public-key cryptography and the practical application of security technologies such as file and disk encryption as well as the exchange of signed and encrypted emails. Important! Please note that this is a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) unit. You will be expected to bring your own laptop computer (Windows, Mac or Linux) to the Tutorial/Practicals, install and configure the required software, and incorporate secure practices into your daily work (and play!) routines.