Encryption: what it is, how it works, why it matters.
RET member Carl Westman will give this presentation.
Can you keep a secret? What about your friends, your bank, or your phone?
Keeping secrets is not just the domain of the military or spies. Modern banking and commerce rely upon encryption for securing financial transactions. Political operatives rely upon encryption to communicate with their allies and keep their plans secret from rivals and adversaries.
The history of encryption has seen ever-stronger ciphers eventually get decoded by ever-more-clever cryptanalysis. Broken encryption has led to the fall of regimes, while weaponized encryption (e.g., ransomware) has cost individuals, businesses, and governments billions of dollars. In this talk, we will explore what encryption is, how it works, and why it matters.
We meet in the cafeteria annex at the back of the Goins Administration Building. Come early for coffee and conversation.
