An Introduction to Cryptography

Grasp the fundamentals of cryptography for advanced data security

Millions of people fall victim to data breaches every year, resulting in the loss of sensitive information and financial harm. As technology-centred economies continue to grow, sophisticated cyber-attacks remain a threat.

How can we protect ourselves and our data in this increasingly digital world?

On this two-week course from the University of Leeds, get the answers to this question with a deep dive into cryptography, from historical ciphers to modern-day cryptographic techniques.

You’ll explore the basics of encryption, decryption, and standard cryptographic protocols, as well as modern methods, such as public key cryptography systems.

Promote data protection with cryptography’s encryption and decryption tools

You’ll start by grasping the basics of cryptography by exploring its purpose, fundamental principles, and origins.

Through expert insights and hands-on exercises, you’ll learn about the importance of encryption in securing data, the techniques for secure decryption, and the historical significance of classical ciphers.

Explore modern cryptographic algorithms

Examine RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman), one of the most widely used public key cryptosystems, and understand its role in establishing secure connections and facilitating secure data exchange over the web.

Then learn how hash functions ensure data integrity and the significance of digital signatures in verifying the authenticity and integrity of messages or documents.

Explore end-to-end encryption (E2EE) with the University of Leeds

Discover end-to-end encryption (E2EE) concepts, a critical method for securing data transmission and providing an additional layer of security against unauthorised access.

Developed by the University of Leeds’ School of Computing and as part of the Institute of Coding’s ClickStart programme, this introductory course is designed to help learners understand and apply cryptographic principles in real-world scenarios.

This course is accessible to everyone and doesn’t require any additional knowledge to complete, making it an excellent starting point for anyone interested in cybersecurity and data protection.

Developed by the University of Leeds’ School of Computing and as part of the Institute of Coding’s ClickStart programme, this introductory course is designed to help learners understand and apply cryptographic principles in real-world scenarios.

This course is accessible to everyone and doesn’t require any additional knowledge to complete, making it an excellent starting point for anyone interested in cybersecurity and data protection.

• Describe what cryptography is
• Apply simple ciphers to encrypt and decrypt messages
• Describe how a number of simple ciphers work
• Apply modern ciphers to encrypt and decrypt messages
• Explain the concepts of private key and public key cryptography
• Explain what end-to-end encryption is and where it is used
• Explain how digital signatures can be used to prove the authenticity of a message.