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RaspberryPiFoundation: Introduction to Encryption and Cryptography

Learn about how encryption helps to keep your information safe, and how it is used in the world today.

Introduction to Encryption and Cryptography
2 weeks
2–4 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
Free
Optional upgrade available

There is one session available:

After a course session ends, it will be archivedOpens in a new tab.
Starts May 17
Ends Aug 1

About this course

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This online course from the Raspberry Pi Foundation explores encryption and cryptography. You'll learn about what encryption is and how it was used in the past, and use the Caesar and Vigenère ciphers. You'll also look at modern encryption, and investigate both symmetric and asymmetric encryption schemes. The course also takes a look at the future of encryption, and includes several practical encryption activities that are also appropriate to use in the classroom.

At a glance

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English

What you'll learn

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Over the following two weeks, you will:

  • Describe the general process of encryption and decryption
  • Apply a Caesar cipher and a Vigenère cipher
  • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different encryption algorithms
  • Compare symmetric and asymmetric encryption
  • Demonstrate methods of breaking simple encryption schemes
  • Describe how encryption is used in the modern world, and some of the possible ethical implications of this

The course will cover:

  • A brief look at the history of encryption
  • The encryption and decryption process, and the importance of keys
  • The Caesar and Vigenère ciphers
  • Symmetric and asymmetric encryption schemes
  • Public-key encryption in the real world
  • An introduction to quantum cryptography
  • Practical encryption activities

Frequently Asked Questions

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Who is this course for?

This course is designed for teachers delivering lessons at a GCSE level or equivalent, and for anyone interested in learning about how encryption is used to communicate securely.

Who can take this course?

Unfortunately, learners residing in one or more of the following countries or regions will not be able to register for this course: Iran, Cuba and the Crimea region of Ukraine. While edX has sought licenses from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to offer our courses to learners in these countries and regions, the licenses we have received are not broad enough to allow us to offer this course in all locations. edX truly regrets that U.S. sanctions prevent us from offering all of our courses to everyone, no matter where they live.

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