ylkingsbury@watdragon.waterloo.edu (Yvonne Kingsbury) (02/10/90)
The University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue
Waterloo, Ontario
The Institute for Computer Research (ICR)
Presents an Evening Lecture
Cryptography: Past and Present
by Dr. Scott Vanstone
of Dept. of Combinatorics and Optimization, University of Waterloo
Monday, February 19, 1990
8:00 P.M.
William G. Davis Computer Research Centre, Room 1302
ABSTRACT
Making and breaking codes has been, for many years, of interest primarily
to the military. We have all heard stories of secret wars between military
powers and clandestine government agencies, of spies being caught and codes
being broken. However, the information age is now upon us and a much larger
portion of our society is in need of techniques that will secure, authenticate
and maintain the integrity of electronic data. Automatic teller machines,
point of sale terminals at store checkouts, cellular telephones, software
viruses and electronic mail are but a few of the devices and systems for which
we need protection. In this lecture we will give a brief historical account of
cryptography as a serious discipline and then discuss recent breakthroughs in
both theory and technology which are making possible the widespread acceptance
and use of cryptographic techniques.
Everyone welcome. Refreshments served.