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Career possibilities in cryptology - Times of India

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Career possibilities in cryptology

May 19, 2008, 05.45 AM IST

he most fascinating element of the Dan Brown best-seller The Da Vinci Code was protagonist Robert Langdon's task
of cracking secret messages. If the thought of decoding mysterious messages or building puzzles that remain
ambiguous to most individuals, gives you a thrill, then a career in cryptography might just be the right choice for you.

The name cryptography comes from the Greek words 'kryptos' which means hidden and 'graphia' which means writing. Avishek
Adhikari, lecturer, Department of Pure Mathematics, University of Calcutta, explains: "A cryptosystem or cipher system is a
method of disguising messages so that only certain people can see through the disguise. Cryptography is the art of creating and
using cryptosystems. Or simply put, it is the art of secret writing."
Cryptography can also be defined as the science of making messages illegible to unintended recipients. "There are actually two
terms cryptography and cryptanalysis. The latter consists of techniques for breaking cryptographic codes. Together it is
called cryptology," clarifies Indranil Sen Gupta, head, Computer Science and Engineering and School of Information Technology,
IIT-Kharagpur.
Cryptologists before the 80s were primarily depicted as spy agents involved in deciphering and configuring coded messages to
gain momentum against enemy activities. However, with the upsurge of information technology and the increasing dependence
on electronic data processing, the range of activities a cryptologist is involved in has expanded. The vast digital data that is
stored and processed in large computer bases and transmitted through complex communication networks is susceptible to
unauthorised interception and interpretation and hence, needs to
be protected through encrypted remote access or passwords. "Our commercial transactions (credit card numbers and bank
data), our medical data (which may soon be stored on smart cards), mobile communication and other secret diplomatic
information can be traced by hackers. To prevent such data theft, we need cryptographers to write stronger codes. In fact,
currently, cryptography has broadened greatly from the study of secret writing to the study of information security," informs
Adhikari.
The field also includes decoding patterns and symbols, integrity checks, authenticating digital signature and predicting the
possibility of certain outcomes by preparing mathematical models. C E Veni Madhavan, Department of Computer Science and
Automation, IISc-Bangalore, elaborates: "The work of a cryptologist includes designing and analysing various robust and strong
algorithms, implementation of such algorithms on various platforms and interfaces to other input/output media." They can also
analyse existing algorithms for weaknesses, solve known mathematical problems on which many cryptographic algorithms are
based and find weaknesses and/ or patch vulnerabilities in existing implementations.
Cryptologists are in demand in the military forces, government agencies, technology companies, banking and financial
organisations, law enforcement agencies, universities and research institutes. Depending on the profile of the organisation one is
involved with, the area of functioning varies. Veni Madhavan points out, "Cryptologists can work with mathematical topics such
as number theory, algebra, information theory, combinatorics, probability, etc and also computer science topics such as
algorithms, hardware interfaces and other areas including image processing, complexity theory, and so on."
For instance, the cryptographers of banking companies try to make their systems secure so that all the transactions over the
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Career possibilities in cryptology - Times of India

3/16/16 7:29 AM

internet can be made safely. On the other hand, cryptographers in the defence arena or intelligence organisations will try to break
codes transmitted between two suspected enemies.
So what does it take to enter this enchanting world of secret messages?
"It is primarily a research-based subject and hence a PhD in cryptography is the best possible solution. Alternatively, a master's
degree in mathematics or computer science is also useful. It is however important to have excellent problem solving abilities,
familiarity with mathematical and programming tools and some expertise in hacking," contends Adhikari.

Moreover, to be successful in this field, one should be able to juggle numbers at ease, analyse data effectively and be alert at all
times. Prof Sen Gupta asserts, "Just like any other professional, the willingness to learn and work hard are key elements in this
field," asserts Sen Gupta, adding, "In India, the main sectors where cryptographers are in high demand are the defence and
government sectors. Multinationals and financial institutions also find them useful. The salary is generally at par with any
computer science and engineering graduate."
For a fresher, salaries vary with the organisation they work for and the degrees they have obtained. "Approximately, a graduate
can expect anything around Rs 3.6 lakh per annum and for a PhD holder it begins at Rs 6 lakh per annum," maintains Veni
Madhavan.

In India there are several institutes that have research opportunities and other specialised courses in cryptography. Tech
institutes such as the IITs, IISc, NITs and other mathematical and statistical institutes such as ISI, University of Calcutta have
opportunities for cryptographic research.

However, students can also opt to go abroad for higher studies in this field. Karan Gupta, education consultant, states,
"Cryptography is a growing discipline. Many universities have a separate department for cryptography. Students can opt for a
master's degree in computer science with a major in cryptography."

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