TCS / Studies / T-79.5501 Cryptology
Helsinki University of Technology, 
     Laboratory for Theoretical Computer Science

T-79.5501 Cryptology (5 cr)

Spring 2007

[General Information] [Lectures] [Exercises] [Other Interesting Stuff] [TOPI] [Autumn 2005]

The course T-79.5501 replaces the earlier course T-79.503: Foundations of Cryptology [Autumn 2004]

The course deals with the mathematical basis of modern cryptographic algorithms. It can be taken as a special course in advanced level undergraduate and graduate studies of computer science and mathematics.


General Information

  • Lectures by Prof. Kaisa Nyberg: Tuesdays 10-12, hall T4, starting from the 16th of January. Lectures are held in English and all additional material is provided in English. Exams can be taken in Finnish, Swedish or English.
  • Exercise session :
    • Tuesdays 12-14, hall T4
    Assistant is Lic.Tech. Miia Hermelin. Exercises will start the 23rd of January.
  • Course material:
    • Textbook
      Douglas R. Stinson:
      Cryptography, Theory and Practice,
      Chapman & Hall/CRC Press, Boca Raton-London-New York,
      Third Edition, 2006
    • Other material
      Additional material will be given.
  • To pass the course, choose one of the two alternative ways:
    1. take two midterm exams, one in March and one in May; or
    2. to take the final exam in May.
    If you pass the course using midterm exams, but are unhappy with your grade, you can try to make it up by taking the final exam. Additional points (max. 6 pts.) for the midterm exams can be obtained by doing homework exercises and participating in the exercise classes. Exercises are not mandatory but strongly recommended. Exercise credit points cannot be used for the final exam.
  • Newsgroup: opinnot.tik.krypto
  • Dates of the exams:
    • The first midterm exam: Friday, the 9th of March at 9-13 in T1
    • The second midterm exam: Tuesday, the 7th of May at 9-12 in T1 Note. The date has changed!
    • The final exam: Tuesday, the 15th of May at 13-16 in T1
  • Recommended courses:
    • T-79.4501 Cryptography and data security or T-110.5210 Cryptosystems
    • Mat-1.2991 Discrete mathematics
    • Mat-1.3081 Algebra I
    • Mat-1.3111 Number theory
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Lecture Notes

The first midterm exam area ends here. Midterm break. The first midterm exam: Friday, the 9th of March at 9-13 in T1, exam problems   solutions  
  • Lecture 8 (March 13) notes
  • Lecture 9 (March 20) notes and an example of Wiener's Algorithm.
    March 27: No lecture.
  • Lecture 10 (April 3) notes
    April 10: Easter holidays. No lecture.
  • Lecture 11 (April 17) notes
  • Lecture 12 (April 24) notes
Course ends. The second midterm exam: Monday, the 7th of May at 9-12 in T1, exam problems   solutions  

Final exam

The final exam: Tuesday, the 15th of May at 13-16 in T1, exam problems,   koetehtävät,  exam results.  
If you have questions about grading, send email to Kaisa Nyberg, kaisa.nyberg AT tkk.fi.
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Exercises

Students are encouraged to solve the exercise problems by themselves prior to the respective exercise session. In the beginning of each session, students indicate which problems they have solved and are prepared to present to the class. The number of bonus points (N) is determined based on the total number (T) of solutions indicated by a student using the formula:

N = min(6, (T - 8.5)/7)

rounded up or down to the nearest integer. For example, the least T to achieve N = 6 is T = 47.

The exercise problems are available as PDF files.

The area of the first mid term exam ends here.
  • Session 7 (March 13): problems
  • Session 8 (March 20): problems
  • Session 9 (March 27): problems   In problem 5, you are free to choose how to make your implementation
  • Session 10 (April 3): problems
  • Session 11 (April 17):problems
  • Session 12 (April 24):problems
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Course Feedback

To be opened April 25: We will welcome feedback which is collected centrally in Finnish, Swedish, or English.

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Other Interesting Stuff

Exam Calculator Policy: If not otherwise stated in the problem sheet of the exam, it is allowed to use function calculator, however not any programmable calculator.

Exam Oct 24, 2005 pdf
Exam December 14, 2005 Problems in English;  in Finnish;  Solutions

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Latest update: 31 January 2008.