Cryptography and Network Security
Overview of Cryptography
1. Introduction to Cryptography
- Security goals (confidentiality, integrity, availability).
- Introduction to security mechanisms and cryptographic systems.
2. Basic Cryptographic Concepts
- Symmetric vs. asymmetric cryptography, encryption schemes.
3. Types of Attacks
- Passive vs. active attacks, security services, threat models.
Classical Encryption Techniques
4. Substitution Ciphers
- Caesar cipher, Vigenère cipher, and one-time pad.
5. Transposition Ciphers
- Rail-fence, columnar transposition.
6. Steganography and Other Classical Techniques
- Techniques for hiding information.
Block Ciphers and DES
7. Block Cipher Principles
- Concepts of substitution, permutation, and product ciphers.
8. DES Algorithm
- Structure of DES, key scheduling, S-boxes, weaknesses.
9. Strength of DES and Variants
- 3DES, limitations of DES.
AES and Modern Symmetric Encryption
10. Introduction to AES
- AES structure, rounds, key expansion.
11. AES Security
- Resistance to attacks, comparison with DES.
12. Modes of Operation
- ECB, CBC, CFB, OFB, and CTR modes.
Mathematical Background
13. Modular Arithmetic and Euclidean Algorithm
- Operations and applications in cryptography.
14. Groups, Rings, and Fields
- Finite fields and their cryptographic significance.
15. Prime Numbers, Fermat's Theorem
- Primality testing and Fermat's theorem.
Public Key Cryptography
16. Introduction to Public Key Cryptography
- Public and private keys, key distribution problems.
17. RSA Algorithm
- Key generation, encryption, decryption, and security.
18. Practical Implementation of RSA
- Security analysis and challenges.
Diffie-Hellman and ElGamal
19. Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange
- Mechanism and security of key exchange.
20. ElGamal Cryptosystem
- Structure, encryption, and decryption.
21. Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)
- Basic concepts and advantages over RSA.
Cryptographic Hash Functions
22. Introduction to Hash Functions
- Properties, requirements of hash functions.
23. MD5 and SHA Algorithms
- Structure, security of MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-256.
24. Message Authentication Codes (MAC)
- HMAC, CMAC, and their cryptographic importance.
Digital Signatures and Authentication
25. Digital Signatures Overview
- Requirements and services provided by digital signatures.
26. Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA)
- Structure, use cases, and security.
27. Digital Certificates and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
- X.509 certificates, certificate authorities.
Key Management and Distribution
28. Key Distribution Techniques
- Symmetric vs. asymmetric key management.
29. Kerberos Protocol
- Authentication system for distributed networks.
30. Diffie-Hellman for Key Distribution
- Practical implementation in secure key exchange.
Authentication Applications
31. Authentication Protocols
- Overview of security protocols for user authentication.
32. Authentication Systems – Kerberos
- Detailed explanation of Kerberos.
33. X.509 and Public-Key Infrastructures
- PKI framework, trust models, and practical applications.
Web and Transport Layer Security
34. Web Security Overview
- Basic concepts in web security, HTTP vs. HTTPS.
35. SSL/TLS Protocol
- SSL/TLS architecture, handshake protocol, and applications.
36. SSL/TLS Vulnerabilities
- Known attacks on SSL/TLS, and countermeasures.
IP Security and VPNs
37. IP Security (IPSec)
- Overview of IPSec architecture and services.
38. IPSec Modes of Operation
- Tunnel vs. transport modes, application in VPNs.
39. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
- Overview of VPNs, types, and security considerations.
Firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems
40. Introduction to Firewalls
- Types of firewalls, packet filtering, and proxy firewalls.
41. Stateful Inspection Firewalls
- How stateful firewalls work and their advantages.
42. Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS)
- Types of IDS/IPS, anomaly detection, and signature-based systems.
Reference: William Stallings' "Cryptography and Network Security - Principles
and Practices"
