May 5 is Cryptographic Day in Russia. It was on this day in 1921 that the Cryptographic Service of Russia was created by a resolution of the Council of People’s Commissars of the RSFSR.

Photo: SIC ITA Photo: SIC ITA

Cryptography is the science of methods and techniques for encrypting information. It is designed to transmit data in a closed form so that only the person for whom it is intended can read it. Cryptography tools are also used to control the integrity of messages, for mechanisms for identifying and authenticating users on the network, for digitally signing messages and many other tasks of the modern digital world.

According to Associate Professor of the Department of Information Technology Security at the Institute of Computer Technologies and Information Security of the Southern Federal University Evgenia Ishchukova , history knows many interesting cases related to cryptography.

“During World War II, the Americans used the Novajo Indians to transmit data. The Indians spoke on open radio in their native language, but no one could understand them. However, when preparing the Indians themselves to serve as radio operators, the Americans faced a number of problems. Because in the Indian language there were no such concepts as an airplane, a tank, or a cruiser. Each such name was given a synonym, for example, an airplane is a large iron bird, etc. Based on real historical events, the feature film “Wind Talkers” was shot,” notes Evgenia Ishchukova .

According to the expert, everything related to information technology is related to cryptography. When transmitting data over the network, traffic is encrypted. To gain access to the site using a password, passwords are processed using cryptographic means. In instant messengers, all traffic is also encrypted. Internet of Things devices transmit data in encrypted form. A group of unmanned aerial objects identifies each other using the Friend or Foe protocol using cryptography. All this happens unnoticed by the user. We don’t even notice how the data is converted and then restored. But without this, they would be accessible to attackers, and therefore vulnerable.

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“Russia has a very strong school of cryptography. The country is fully provided with encryption standards for various purposes (GOSTs), developed by domestic cryptographers. I recommend everyone to watch the documentary “The Verchenko Code” about the outstanding Russian mathematician and cryptographer Ivan Yakovlevich Verchenko. Many works of Russian and Soviet cryptographers are important and still remain classified,” emphasized Evgenia Ishchukova .

Outstanding Russian mathematician and cryptographer Ivan Yakovlevich Verchenko Outstanding Russian mathematician and cryptographer Ivan Yakovlevich Verchenko

Every year the cryptographer profession will be in more and more demand. Cryptographic specialists work at Kaspersky Lab, as well as in companies that produce software and hardware security tools: ANKAD, Security Code, Legion-inform and many others.

“We see an active rise in the IT industry in our country. Including active work on import substitution. And all this requires skills in implementing and using cryptographic tools in developed software and hardware products,” the expert notes .

Photo: SIC ITA Photo: SIC ITA

It is worth noting that on the basis of SFU at the Institute of Computer Technologies and Information Security, cryptography is taught as one of the disciplines in training students in the field of “Information Security”. At the same time, students will learn not only the basics of constructing encryption algorithms, but also methods for assessing their reliability. Our university has accumulated a large scientific base in the field of cryptography, several dissertations have been defended on the topic of cryptography and cryptanalysis. Every year, graduates of the specialty “Information Security of Automated Systems” choose topics related to the use of cryptographic algorithms and the study of their reliability.