Content
Cryptanalytic attacks define the security of cryptographic algorithms, and understanding them is crucial to understand cryptographic design. This lecture aims to give you some in-depth knowledge of several recent state-of-the-art topics in cryptography, with a focus on cryptanalysis:
- Classic and quantum algorithms for factoring and discrete log
- Cryptanalysis of block ciphers (differential, linear, algebraic)
- Cryptanalysis of hash functions and stream ciphers
- Lattices and continued fractions in cryptanalysis
In the exercises, you will implement some of these attacks to solve cryptanalytic challenges. In the seminar, additional selected topics may be presented by participants -- see below for a list of suggested topics.
Material
| Date |
Who |
Lecture (15:00-16:45 in CCGEG002) |
Video (2021) |
Exercises (16:45-17:30 in CCGEG002) |
| 05.03.2026 |
MN |
L1 – Discrete Logarithm |
YouTube |
|
| 12.03.2026 |
MN |
L2 – Factoring and Continued Fractions |
YouTube |
T1 - Asymmetric Cryptanalysis, Team registration deadline |
| 19.03.2026 |
MN |
L3 – Lattices |
YouTube |
|
| 26.03.2026 |
MN |
L4 – Quantum Cryptanalysis |
YouTube |
|
| 16.04.2026 |
MS |
L5 – TLS security & Protocol Attacks |
YouTube |
|
| 23.04.2026 |
MS |
L6 – Implementation Aspects |
|
T1 - Submission Deadline (15:00) |
| 30.04.2026 |
you |
Exam 1 |
|
|
| 07.05.2026 |
SG |
L7 – Linear Cryptanalysis |
YouTube |
T2 - Symmetric Cryptanalysis |
| 21.05.2026 |
SG |
L8 – Differential Cryptanalysis |
YouTube |
|
| 28.05.2026 |
SG |
L9 – Sponges & Cube Attacks |
YouTube |
|
| 11.06.2026 |
SG |
LA – Advanced Differential Attacks |
YouTube |
|
| 18.06.2026 |
SG |
LB – Algebraic Attacks |
YouTube |
T2 - Submission Deadline (15:00) |
| 25.06.2026 |
you |
Exam 2 |
|
|
| 16.07.2026 |
you |
Backup Exam |
|
|
Previous versions of this course:
SS 2025,
SS 2024,
SS 2023,
SS 2022,
SS 2021 (
YouTube playlist),
SS 2020
Administrative Information
For questions outside lecture times, contact us via the
#cryptanalysis Discord channel or by email.
Exams
There will be 2 written exams during the semester.
Each exam contributes 25% to the overall grade.
It is possible to retake one exam in July.
Exercises
In the exercises, you implement cryptanalysis techniques from the lecture in teams of 2.
You submit your implementations for 2 assignments, which we will discuss with you in 2 assignment interviews ("Abgabegespräche").
The assignment interviews typically happen in the week after the deadline.
Each assignment contributes 25% to the overall grade.
Use
TeachCenter to register your team and
git for your submissions.
Grading
For a positive grade, you need at least 50% of the points for the lecture part, i.e., the 2 exams, and at least 50% of the points for the exercise part, i.e., the 2 assignments.
We treat the involvement of ChatGPT and similar tools the same way as the involvement of another natural person.
That is, for involvement that qualifies as plagiarism or an impermissible level of assistance, the consequences will be the same in both cases to the strictest extent possible.'
Literature
The lecture slides are reasonably self-contained, but often briefly phrased.
If you prefer full-text resources, you may find some of the following books interesting:
Lecture Dates
| Date |
Begin |
End |
Location |
Event |
Type |
Comment |
| 2026/03/19 |
15:00 |
17:30 |
Seminarraum |
Abhaltung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/03/26 |
15:00 |
17:30 |
Seminarraum |
Abhaltung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/04/16 |
15:00 |
17:30 |
Seminarraum |
Abhaltung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/04/23 |
15:00 |
17:30 |
Seminarraum |
Abhaltung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/04/30 |
15:00 |
15:15 |
Seminarraum |
Aufbau u. Vorbereitung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/04/30 |
16:15 |
16:30 |
Seminarraum |
Nachbereitung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/05/07 |
15:00 |
17:30 |
Seminarraum |
Abhaltung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/05/21 |
15:00 |
17:30 |
Seminarraum |
Abhaltung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/05/28 |
15:00 |
17:30 |
Seminarraum |
Abhaltung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/06/11 |
15:00 |
17:30 |
Seminarraum |
Abhaltung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/06/18 |
15:00 |
17:30 |
Seminarraum |
Abhaltung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/06/25 |
15:00 |
15:15 |
Seminarraum |
Aufbau u. Vorbereitung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/06/25 |
16:15 |
16:30 |
Seminarraum |
Nachbereitung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/07/16 |
15:00 |
15:15 |
Seminarraum |
Aufbau u. Vorbereitung |
VU |
fix/ |
| 2026/07/16 |
16:15 |
16:30 |
Seminarraum |
Nachbereitung |
VU |
fix/ |
Lecturers
