Unit information: Applied Cryptology (Teaching Unit) in 2023/24

Unit name	Applied Cryptology (Teaching Unit)
Unit code	COMS30048
Credit points	0
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Page
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	COMS30023 Cryptology (Teaching Unit) or equivalent. Software developing using low-level languages (e.g., C and assembly language) and tools. Number theory (e.g., finite fields). Cryptography (e.g., primitives such as AES and RSA). Computer architecture (e.g., properties of instruction execution). Computer networks (e.g., TCP/IP).
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	EITHER Undergraduate students in Year 3 must choose Assessment Unit COMS30049 Applied Cryptology OR M-level students must choose the Masters Level Unit, COMSM0054 Applied Cryptology. Please note, COMS30048 is the Teaching Unit for Applied Cryptology. Students can take this unit in either their third or fourth year, and must also choose the Assessment Unit for their year group.
Units you may not take alongside this one	None.
School/department	School of Computer Science
Faculty	Faculty of Engineering

Unit Information

This unit delivers an introduction to two sub-fields of cryptography, namely applied cryptography and cryptographic engineering. As such, the unit content can be summarised as spanning three core topics:

1. efficient implementation techniques for standard symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic primitives,
2. implementation (specifically side-channel and fault injection) attack and mitigation techniques, and
3. system-level applications of cryptography, e.g., deployment in standard protocols such as TLS.

The aim is to equip students with understanding and skills that enable use (i.e., design, implementation, deployment, and analysis) of cryptographic technologies when addressing real-world (e.g., industrially relevant) problems. By offering an applied, practical perspective on the field of cryptography, it complements, and therefore represents an ideal companion for, other units offering a more theoretical perspective.

Your learning on this unit

Successful completion of this unit will enable students to:

1. Understand and use a range of state-of-the-art implementation techniques,
2. Understand and use a range of state-of-the-art implementation attack and countermeasure techniques,
3. Reason about the security of a system in an "end to end" manner, i.e., from the theoretical underpinnings to the concrete implementation
4. Use case-study and practical experience to avoid pitfalls in deployment and configuration of existing systems.

How you will learn

Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions, including lectures, practical activities supported by drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises.

How you will be assessed

100% coursework.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. COMS30048).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.