Information security is a fascinating field of knowledge that can involve anything from theoretical computer science to software engineering, and even observe the psychology of human error.
Cryptography is now one of the many anonymous technological heroes of our daily life. Social networks, web banking, military intelligence, and any other information system that deals with sensitive information all rely heavily on cryptography. Cryptography allows us to have privacy, which some consider the 12th human right.
This article will give you an introduction to the principles behind public-key cryptosystems and introduce you to the Santana Rocha-Villas Boas (SRVB), a cryptosystem developed by the author of the article and prof. Daniel Santana Rocha. At the time of writing, the algorithm authors are cooking up a campaign that includes a financial reward to anyone who manages to crack the code. Since the article will cover the algorithm functionality in detail, this is the best place to start the pursuit of the prize. More information is available on the SRVB site.
