We present a concrete situation where there is a difference between the theoretical security of a cipher and its limitations when implemented in practice. Specifically, when entering a PIN, smudges on the keypad substantially reduce its security. We show how the number of possible keys in the presence of the "smudge attack" can be…

We present a detailed description of a Cryptography and Computer Security course that has been offered at Knox College for the last 15 years. While the course is roughly divided into two sections, Cryptology and Computer Security, our emphasis here is on the Cryptology section. The course puts the cryptologic material into its historical context…

Many of the applied mathematics courses we teach touch upon a range of rich and important ethical issues -- issues that, for a number of reasons, are rarely openly discussed in class. In this work, we describe a sequence of activities co-designed and co-taught by philosophy and mathematics faculty in the hopes of bridging the divide between the…

Cybersecurity educational efforts are urgently needed to introduce young people to the profession and give students and teachers cybersecurity knowledge to protect themselves from increasing cybercrime. In this study, 56 elementary preservice teachers participated in a 3-hour intervention within a technology integration course that introduced them…

Many entrepreneurs and small business owners lack disaster recovery plans, which minimize business disruptions caused by failures of critical technical systems. Typically, technology is not the main focus for a small business owner, as most of their time is spent focused on business operations. This case study demonstrates that when a business…

Steganography is the art and science of concealing communication. The goal of steganography is to hide the very existence of information exchange by embedding messages into unsuspicious digital media covers. Cryptography, or secret writing, is the study of the methods of encryption, decryption and their use in communications protocols.…

Cryptography is the science of hidden or secret writing. More generally, cryptography refers to the science of safeguarding information. Cryptography allows people to use a public medium such as the Internet to transmit private information securely, thus enabling a whole range of conveniences, from online shopping to personally printed movie…

We have developed a tool called Secure WEb dEvelopment Teaching (SWEET) to introduce security concepts and practices for web application development. This tool provides introductory tutorials, teaching modules utilizing virtualized hands-on exercises, and project ideas in web application security. In addition, the tool provides pre-configured…

While development of the Internet has contributed to the spread of online education, online exams have not been widely adopted. An online exam is defined here as one that takes place over the insecure Internet, and where no proctor is in the same location as the examinees. This paper proposes an enhanced secure online exam management environment…

Many introductory courses to cryptology and computer security start with or include a discussion of classical ciphers that usually contemplates some cryptanalysis techniques used to break them. Ganzua (picklock in Spanish) is an application designed to assist the cryptanalysis of ciphertext obtained with monoalphabetic or polyalphabetic ciphers.…

For the general public, the field of cryptography has recently become famous as the method used to uncover secrets in Dan Brown's fictional bestseller, The Da Vinci Code. But the science of cryptography has been popular for centuries--secret hieroglyphics discovered in Egypt suggest that code-making dates back almost 4,000 years. In today's…

Java is an object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems; its benefits include platform independence, security, and interactivity. Within the college community, Java is being used in programming courses, collaborative technology research projects, computer graphics instruction, and distance education. (AEF)

Explains the technology of biometrics, the science of identifying a person by unique physical characteristics, and its application in the fight against terrorism. Argues that biometrics, such as hand readers, fingerprint readers, and eye scans, are reliable and efficient. Also describes proximity cards, digital tracking systems, and smart cards.…

Describes Bio-Link, the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Center for Biotechnology established with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Reports that Bio-Link, headquartered at City College of San Francisco, has created a national network and resource base for community colleges, industry, and others interested in biotechnology…