What is Cryptography?

This course can be given for an audience of managers or of technicians. Managers will learn about possibilities and limitations of cryptographic techniques, and technicians will additionally learn details and examples of the core techniques of this discipline.

This course takes 2 hours in the version for managers, and a full day in the version for technicians. If so required, variation in the depth and thus in the duration of the course is possible.

Technical possibilities and limitations

This part of the course introduces the three core techniques employed in modern cryptography. Managers will be introduced to the properties ensured by them, and to the methods of combining them; techicians are provided with more detail and with concrete applications.

• Message digests
• Classic symmetrical encryption
• Public-key cryptography

Application areas

The core techniques of cryptography must be applied in a practical system before they can serve end users. This is usually done in a standard manner, although it could also be in self-built applications. This part handles standard applications.

• Digital signatures
• Certificates
• Secured servers
• Virtual Private Networks (secured traffic between locations)
• The Devil in the Details

Social engineering

A purely technical solution is usually an insufficient approach to a security problem. Attention for the human side is at least as important.

• The need for procedures
• Humans are not machines

Expansion options

Although valuable as a stand-alone learning unit, this course is also assumed as a foundation for the following workshops by OpenFortress:

• Building Secure Infrastructures
• Open Source crypto toolkits