Module 2: Cryptography and PKI
Week of Tue, Oct 6 · module closes Sun, Oct 18 · 100 points
Take Meerk's quiz for Module 2
This module's items
- M2 Quizdue Fri, Oct 16 · 50 pts
- M2 Labdue Sun, Oct 18 · 50 pts
Exact due times are in Canvas.
Know these cold
- Symmetric encryption uses the same key for encryption and decryption (fast, but key distribution is a problem): AES, 3DES.
- Asymmetric encryption uses a key pair: public key encrypts, private key decrypts (slow, solves key distribution): RSA, ECC.
- Hashing produces a fixed-length digest; it is one-way (cannot be reversed): SHA-256, SHA-3, MD5 (broken).
- Digital certificates bind a public key to an identity; issued by a Certificate Authority (CA). TLS/HTTPS uses certificates.
- PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) is the framework of CAs, certificates, and processes that enables trusted digital communication.
Meerk's quiz — open the Module 2 gate
10 questions, no time limit. 85% on your first attempt in a 24-hour window opens the gate. Retakes inside the window are practice — they help you learn, they don't count. Work alone; the point is to know it, not to have seen it.
Dinner Table Question
Ask at home: When you visit a banking website and see the padlock icon, what is actually being protected?
En español: Cuando visitas un sitio bancario y ves el candado, ¿qué es lo que se está protegiendo realmente?