Teaching cryptography can be a challenge due to the complex math involved. I recently designed a lab where students use OpenSSL to encrypt and decrypt files with different algorithms. It really helped them grasp the concepts. Does anyone have similar exercises or labs they'd recommend?
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Engaging Students with Cryptography Labs
- Thread starter precious
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I try to avoid or make fun of the fact that most folks in cybersecurity hate math and you don't have to do any complex math on the Security+ exam. That said when it comes to crypto I always try to get my students to generate and validate some file checksums. MD5 checksums are relatively easy. The SHA algorithm name seems to vary on different operating systems (to use SHA you may need to call the SHA256 application). In CertMaster there is a 'Resources' tab that has a couple of files that students can download. I'll ask them to download and locally calculate the checksum of one of those files and verify it with my calculation.
@Brian Ford, you're spot on! Most folks in cybersecurity aren't big fans of math, and you're absolutely right about not needing complex math for Security+. However, I think understanding the basics of cryptography, even without the heavy math, is crucial to grasping how encryption works under the hood. I love your idea of generating and validating file checksums—simple yet effective in showing the real-world applications of cryptography. In my own labs, I focus on practical exercises with OpenSSL, getting students hands-on with encryption and decryption. That approach really seems to help concepts click without scaring them off with math!