Hello Quantum Formalists,
I am excited to announce the launch of our new course: Introduction to Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)! This course serves as a vital foundational module and is a prelude to our upcoming course on Post-Quantum Cryptography, with a specific emphasis on Isogeny-Based Cryptography, scheduled for later next year.
Furthermore, this course lays essential groundwork for anyone interested in exploring the practical applications of ECC, particularly in the following areas:
Secure Communications: ECC is widely used to secure internet communications. Protocols like TLS (Transport Layer Security), which underpin secure browsing on the web, often use ECC for key exchange (ECDH - Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman) and digital signatures (ECDSA - Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm).
Mobile Security: Due to its efficiency and the lower computational power required, ECC is ideal for mobile devices. It's used in various smartphone security applications, including securing mobile transactions and communications.
Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies: Many crypto projects, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, use ECC for securing transactions. The public and private key pairs used for transaction signing in these networks are often generated using ECC.
Internet of Things (IoT): In IoT, devices often have limited processing capabilities. ECC is used to secure communications between these devices and the network, as it provides strong security with lower computational requirements.
Smart Cards and Authentication Systems: ECC is used in smart cards (like SIM cards and credit cards) and in various authentication systems due to its ability to provide strong security with relatively small key sizes.
Government and Military Communications: Many government and military communication systems use ECC because of its high level of security and efficiency.
Wireless Security Protocols: Protocols such as Bluetooth, which are widely used for wireless communications, also incorporate ECC to secure data transmission.
Cloud Computing: ECC provides a secure means of protecting data and communications in cloud environments, where data security is a critical concern.
Digital Rights Management (DRM): ECC can be used in DRM systems to ensure that digital content is accessed only by authorised users.
This course will not only provide a comprehensive understanding of ECC but also prepare you for the advanced concepts in Isogeny-Based Cryptography.
When will the course start and what day/time of the week? To ensure compatibility with the ongoing quantum hardware course, the ECC course will take place on Wednesdays at 5 PM UK time. We are excited to kick off the first session, which will be a Q&A session, on December 13.
As per our usual practice, recordings of the live sessions will be accessible for free on YouTube, providing a valuable resource for those who cannot attend in real time. However, if you wish to participate in the live sessions and engage directly with the course material and instructors, registration is required. Please sign up at https://forms.gle/eF4Q9PtyWUNJ9yGd8 to secure your spot!
Many thanks,
Bambordé