Course Calendar
See the course overview for details on the course content and prerequisites.
Textbook: This course will not use a textbook. (Most of the topics we will teach are too new to appear in textbooks.) Ron Rivest has compiled a comprehensive list of readings on cryptography and computer security. If you are interested in going deeper into any topic, or if you need ideas for your final project, these references are a great place to start.
Course policies: Please read them carefully. You are responsible for knowing and following all of the policies—especially the collaboration policy and the policy on AI assistants (GPT and friends). Please do not make us sad, and yourself even more sad, by violating the collaboration policy.
Warning: We may change any content on this website, including the calendar, at any time.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| feb 3🎬 Lecture 1, hcg Overview of crypto; Overview of class, Why post-quantum crypto? First day of classes |
feb 4 Published: Pset 1 |
feb 5🎬 Lecture 2, yk Symmetric Encryption: Construction from PRF |
feb 6 | feb 7 Recitation 1, sw Review session DUE: Review course policies. DUE: Read about final project |
| feb 10🎬 Lecture 3, hcg Symmetric-key primitives I |
feb 11 | feb 12🎬 Lecture 4, hcg Symmetric-key primitives II |
feb 13 | feb 14🎬 Recitation 2, kc Choosing a project topic DUE: Pset 1 DUE: Post final project idea on Piazza |
| feb 17 Presidents' day |
feb 18🎬 Lecture 5, yk Public-key Encryption: Constructions from LWE (Regev) Published: Pset 2 Monday classes held |
feb 19🎬 Lecture 6, ah PIR from LHE |
feb 20 | feb 21 DUE: Project proposal |
| feb 24🎬 Lecture 7, yk FHE - Part I |
feb 25 | feb 26🎬 Lecture 8, ah FHE - Part II |
feb 27 | feb 28 Recitation 3, lw FHE Review DUE: Pset 2 |
| mar 3🎬 Lecture 9, hcg Interactive proofs and zero knowledge Discuss your project with TAs |
mar 4 Published: Pset 3 Discuss your project with TAs |
mar 5🎬 Lecture 10, hcg Signatures from LWE Discuss your project with TAs |
mar 6 Discuss your project with TAs |
mar 7 Recitation 4, all Project meetings DUE: By this date, meet with a TA to discuss your project Discuss your project with TAs |
| mar 10🎬 Lecture 11, yk Secret sharing |
mar 11 | mar 12🎬 Lecture 12, yk MPC: Intro and definition |
mar 13 | mar 14 Recitation 5, lc Review - commitment schemes, secret sharing DUE: Pset 3 |
| mar 17🎬 Lecture 13, yk MPC: BGW construction |
mar 18 | mar 19🎬 Lecture 14, hcg MPC: Applications |
mar 20 | mar 21 Recitation 6, lw x DUE: Project check in |
| mar 24 Spring break |
mar 25 Spring break |
mar 26 Spring break |
mar 27 Spring break |
mar 28 Spring break |
| mar 31🎬 Lecture 15, guest Guest lecture by Jim Bidzos Discuss your project with TAs |
apr 1 Published: Pset 4 Discuss your project with TAs |
apr 2🎬 Lecture 16, guest Guest lecture by Ron Rivest Discuss your project with TAs |
apr 3 Discuss your project with TAs |
apr 4 Recitation 7, all Project meetings DUE: By this date, meet with a TA to discuss your project Discuss your project with TAs |
| apr 7🎬 Lecture 17, yk Sumcheck |
apr 8 | apr 9🎬 Lecture 18, yk GKR |
apr 10 | apr 11 Recitation 8, sw x DUE: Pset 4 |
| apr 14🎬 Lecture 19, yk SNARGs for NP |
apr 15 | apr 16🎬 Midterm quiz ? |
apr 17 | apr 18 DUE: Project check in |
| apr 21🎬 Patriots' day |
apr 22 DROP DATE |
apr 23🎬 Lecture 20, hcg Deployed Cryptography I |
apr 24 | apr 25 |
| apr 28🎬 Lecture 21, hcg Deployed Cryptography II |
apr 29 | apr 30🎬 Project presentations |
may 1 | may 2 |
| may 5🎬 Project presentations |
may 6 | may 7🎬 Project presentations |
may 8 | may 9 |
| may 12🎬 Project presentations |
may 13 DUE: Final project report Last day of classes |
may 14 | may 15 | may 16 |
| may 19 Final exam period |
may 20 Final exam period |
may 21 Final exam period |
may 22 | may 23 |
Course website design courtesy of PDOS and Katrina LaCurts.