CIS 428/628

CIS 428/628
 Introduction to Cryptography 

Monday & Wednesday 12:30 -- 14:05, 3-224 Center for Science and Technology

Prof. Howard A. BLAIR

Rainbow Line

Office: 3-185 Center for Science and Technology
Office Hours :
By Appointment
& Monday 15:45 - 17:15
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York 13244-4100 USA
Phone: 315.443.3565
Fax: 315.443.1122
Email: blair at ecs.syr.edu

UPDATES and NOTICES:

  • Final Problem Set

  • The workbook is updated with several problems to be worked on. (02/22/10)

    • Workbook - this is where the action is


    Bibliography

    Grading
    Your final grade will depend on:

    • Homework and Presentations: There will be a steady stream of exercises to complete. We will work through the course material by doing these exercises. A few of the exercises will be some short programming exercises but most of the exercises will be mathematical. You will be called upon to present the exercises. When you present we will work together in front of and with the help of the class to debug your solution and presentation. Your grade for your presentation will be based on my judgement of how well prepared you seem to be. Being well-prepared means that you really engaged with and worked on the exercise - your solution does not have to be perfect. If you are completely stuck, you may be required to come to a tutorial, by appointment or during office hours. Unless you have made prior arrangements with me or you have a legitimate reason for being absent when called to present, you will get a 0 for that presentation. Your presentations will count for 30% of your course grade.

    • Quizzes: There will be four short quizzes during the semester. Total weight: 30% of your course grade.

    • Problem sets: There will be a mid-term problem set and final problem set. (There will NOT be a FINAL EXAM.) Further information on the problem sets will be announced later. Total weight: 20% each, for a total of 40% of your course grade.

    A bitterly unpleasant but necessary matter: the Honor Policy

    The honors policy of this class is copied from the Cadet's Honor Code of the United States Military Academy (West Point) which reads:

    A Cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do.

    Note that intellectual property consists of the ideas and creative work of a person or group of people. So, plagiarism (using someone else's work or ideas without credit) is lying, cheating, and stealing.

    Also note that letting someone copy your work to pass of as their own is toleration of someone who is lying, cheating, and stealing, and hence is a violation of the honor code as serious as any other. Also, if you know of someone who is cheating, you must inform me, and you must be prepared to testify before a University judicial body. If you do not, then you are in violation of the honor policy.

    Consequences: Nontrivial violation of the honor code will result in a failing grade in the course and a report on the indicident going to the department chair and the dean. In more extreme cases I will litigate you in full view of the public in a court of law in Onondaga County in the most draconian manner I can manage. Really. That is how deterrence works.

    Avoiding problems:

    1. Read the following two webpages on plagiarism. They are very clear and give nice examples.
    2. Always give credit when credit is due. For example, suppose you discuss homework problem 5 with Joe Hacker. Then to be in the clear you should include the statement to your homework paper

      I discussed this problem with Joe Hacker.

      and

      Portions of this webpage are copied verbatim from the CIS 428/628 webpage established by Prof. Jim Royer.

      and make sure what you turn in is your work, not Joe's.

    3. When in doubt about a situation, ask me.

    Computer accounts

    If you are not an ECS student, let me know and I will tell you how to obtain an ECS-Unix account. (The ECS account will only last the semester.) ECS students should already have accounts.

    Accommondations for a disability

    If you need an accommondation because of a disability, then contact the instructor and register with the Office of Student Assistance (306 Steele Hall) and/or the Center for Academic Achievement (804 University Ave., Rm. 303). Please do not be shy about this.