Friday, June 21, 2002, 16:00
WHGA Auditorium
Prof. U. Maurer, ETHZ
Abstract:
Cryptography is both a fascinating mathematical science and a key
technology for the emerging information society, with theory and
applications being closely related. Applications extend far beyond
encryption, including for instance digital signatures, digital money,
and secure Internet voting. In this talk we discuss some highlights
of research in cryptography, assuming only a general mathematical
background, emphasizing both the beauty of theoretical results as
well as their importance for applications. We also touch on a major
emerging research theme in cryptography, namely that computation and
communication are physical processes rather than idealized mathematical
objects. Quantum computation and quantum cryptography are only two
of many such examples. This paradigm shift can be expected to have a
profound impact on cryptographic research and implementations.