2009 Number Theory Seminar - 08

  • Date: 02/26/2009
Lecturer(s):
Felipe Voloch (University of Texas)
Location: 

University of British Columbia

Topic: 

Rational points on curves and cryptography

Description: 

I'll discuss some connections between algorithms for finding rational
points on curves and some cryptosystems. Akiyama and Goto have proposed
a cryptosystem based on rational points on curves over function fields
(stated in the equivalent form of sections of fibrations on surfaces).
It is easy to construct a curve passing through a few given points, but
finding the points, given only the curve, is hard. In this talk I will
show how to break their original cryptosystem by using algebraic points
instead of rational points and discuss the possibility of changing
their original system to create a secure one.

Schedule: 

4:10pm-5:00pm, WMAX 216

Sponsor: 

pims