Cryptography and Blockchain Fundamentals

Aim

This course exposes learners to blockchain technology, smart contracts, fundamentals of cryptocurrency and applications. Learners will also learn the fundamentals of cryptography.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Explain blockchains and the cryptocurrency ecosystem
2. Analyse the role cryptography plays in a blockchain
3. Develop simple blockchains and distributed applications
4. Examine security issues within the cryptocurrency ecosystem

Indicative content

• Basic Cryptography: public/private key encryption, hash functions, digital signatures, Merkle trees
• Blockchain:
• Smart contracts and blockchain applications
• Privacy and scalability issues in blockchain
• Block ciphers
• Digital signatures

• Properties: immutability, consensus, anonymity
• Components: node, distributed ledger, transaction
• Operations:  verification, proof of work