Cryptography Major: MIT, Number Theory, Probability, Algebra

[TsunamiJoe]

I'm interested in doing cryptography as a major, and I've talked to a proffesor from MIT, and a student of Professor Rivest about courses to take, they included: number theory, probability, abstract algebra, and linear algebra.

I am wondering if anyone has anything to add. Also for cheap textbooks and colleges, other than MIT that have reknown cryptography courses.

 

[moose]

Good luck and you should work for the NSA once you are done with college :)

 

[TsunamiJoe]

I'm actualy interested in joining the CIA, after high school I'm going to join the Army Rangers' engaged intel group, and hopefully get some cryptography experience there to boost my resume for getting into MIT.

 

[jai6638]

Army Rangers' engaged intel group

what is that?

 

[Hurkyl]

You could just go for a math major, and apply, aiming to get training on the job.

 

[TsunamiJoe]

true, but in the military i can get a degree in math, far better, faster, and from better proffessors if i went beforehand.

also the army rangers engaged intel group - is similar to going undercover to find where, like for our current iraqi war, to find where terrorist locations are. Although usualy with the rangers its not too in depth past just finding basic camp sites, COG is the one that will usualy be floating around in a wig and beard actualy living that life, rangers will more so just make a simple contact usualy without a disguise or anything.

 

[Gokul43201]

You know you could get a lot more out of this thread if you provided a little more background about yourself.

You'll need courses in computing as well - such as Analysis of Algorithms, Numerical Methods, Computability, Complexity, etc.

 

[TsunamiJoe]

if i had much background in it, i would have stated such, but since i was asking for courses on the subject it shouldn't matter what's been stated.

so any advice is appreciated, along with textbook referances

 

[shmoe]

http://www.cacr.math.uwaterloo.ca/hac/

Handbook of Applied Cryptography, by Menzies, van Oorschot, and Vanstone.

This is a quick and dirty overview, though a few years old. Especially relevant to you would be chapter 2, which gives a rundown of the math you'd need to know to read this book (just statements of results, no proofs).

 

[TsunamiJoe]

yes i have actualy just recently started reading over that, since i haven't gotten into any calc or abstract algebra i wasnt aware of some of the differint math signs like XOR, and the like, thanks for the referance though

 

[Allday]

Quantum Mechanics

The field of quantum cryptogrophy is pretty interesting and is sure to play a big role in the military. If you google it you coule be reading about Alice and Bob sharing Qubits and that damn eve trying to listen in.

 

[TsunamiJoe]

alsoright now I am reading a book called, "The book of Numbers" written by Conway and Guy which is about number theories, it says its geraed towards people without a lot of advanced math backgrounds. Does anyone have a comment on this book?