Date of Award

6-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Mathematics

Department

Mathematics

First Reader/Committee Chair

McMurran, Shawnee

Abstract

We live in an age when our most private information is becoming exceedingly difficult to keep private. Cryptology allows for the creation of encryptive barriers that protect this information. Though the information is protected, it is not entirely inaccessible. A recipient may be able to access the information by decoding the message. This possible threat has encouraged cryptologists to evolve and complicate their encrypting methods so that future information can remain safe and become more difficult to decode. There are various methods of encryption that demonstrate how cryptology continues to evolve through time. These methods revolve around different areas of mathematics such as arithmetic, number theory, and probability. Another concern that has brought cryptology into everyday use and necessity is user authentication. How does one or a machine know that a user is who they say they are? Living in the age where most of our information is sent and accepted through computers, it is crucial that our information is kept safe, and in the appropriate care.

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