Blockchain is a distributed list of events or transactions that is secured cryptographically.

Cryptography is a set of fundamental security techniques with application ranging from protecting personal and commercial information using encryption, e-commerce, secure communication and network security.

This course looks at Blockchain from a cryptographic perspective. It first looks at the set of core techniques that make up cryptography, including their functions and properties, and how they are used together to achieve different cyber security objectives. All of the core techniques are covered, but with an emphasis on those parts more relevant to Blockchain. Also included are zero-knowledge protocols and homomorphic encryption, both relevant to Blockchain in the form of zksnarks. Finally, building on the topics covered already, the course looks at Blockchain itself and how it works.

Course Objectives
– Cryptography: Develop a broad perspective that can be applied across many different security applications; establish a solid foundation on which to make judgements or assessments of secure systems; appreciate the cryptographic components on which Blockchain and its applications rely
– Blockchain: recognise what it does, how it works and its implications

Course Content
The course assumes no prior knowledge and includes the following:
– Cryptographic services
– Design principles
– Cipher types and characteristics
– Symmetric ciphers & encryption: provably secure encryption; stream ciphers; block ciphers (including DES and AES); modes of operation; Message Authentication Codes (MACs)
– Public key systems, including Diffie-Hellman and RSA
– Hash functions, zero-knowledge protocols, homomorphic encryption
– Digital Signatures
– Key management, including generation, distribution, storage, PKI and certificates
– Blockchain: what is does and how it works; its implications; cryptographic strengths; ZKsnarks

About the Course Presenter: All courses are delivered by the course author, Dr Mark Blunden. Mark has a PhD in cryptography, with over twenty years of accumulated knowledge of cryptography and related areas, and fifteen years experience in delivering training.

Who Should Attend
Anyone with an interest in cyber security, cryptography and Blockchain, such as:
– Those with responsibility or oversight for managing, assessing or defining policy for cyber security and new applications
– Blockchain developers
– Security engineers
– Those responsible for implementing security functions, or for developing secure applications and architecture

Course Style: face-to-face

Course Availability: the course is available for onsite delivery, and as an open scheduled course.