Cryptography

If the things we present in the lecture made you curious to learn more, you've come to the right place. On this page we will post links and comments to videos about cryptography and crypto-related math we find interesting. Before anyone asks: No, you don't have to watch any the videos we link here and nothing we post here has any bearing on the lecture, the exercise sheets, the midterms or the exams. This is just to enjoy for those who want to.

• Here are two excellent videos by Numberphile on cryptanalysis of the enigma: Enigma gives an overview of the design and function of the enigma machine and Flaw in the Enigma Code discusses some ideas regarding its cryptanalysis.
• Here's an enigma simulator which can display the signal path through the rotors if you click 'show monitor'
• The notion of groups is central in the construction of encryption schemes, both private key and public key encryption schemes. Groups were originally conceived in the context of solving polynomial systems, but more generally groups tend to show up when when studying symmetries of objects and systems. Here's more great stuff by Numberphile on the Monster Group, featuring the late John Conway, who's known to CS nerds for the invention of cellular automata (the game of life).
• More stuff from Brady Haran. Here are videos about DES/AES and more details about AES
• ...and on modes of operation
• Here's also a video on the hash functions SHA1