9 Best Cryptography Courses Online: Key To Secure Communication

Given the vast availability of data online, the risk and susceptibility of data to hacks are also ever-increasing. Regardless of how much we run from them, cyber warfare, data breaches, and cyber-attacks are all very real.

Thus, it is quintessential to seek ways to fight back. You can only do it if you know how the trespassers usually act. To be honest, cryptography has a mega role to play in cybersecurity. With a cryptography course online, you can learn about it all, like how to enable data to be transferred securely.

Well, you could be an IT professional or a newbie just starting up, there are cryptography courses for all sorts of learners.

9 Courses To Learn About Cryptography

1. Cryptography I – Offered by Stanford – [Coursera]
2. TOTAL: Conversation on Cryptography: w/ Mike Meyers – [Udemy]
3. Introduction to Applied Cryptography Specialization – Offered by University of Colorado – [Coursera]
4. Unlocking Information Security I: From Cryptography to Buffer Overflows – Offered by Tel Aviv University and IsraelX – [edX]
5. Cryptography and Hashing Fundamentals in Python and Java – [Udemy]
6. Advanced Cryptography Concepts – [Udemy]
7. Applied Cryptography – [Udacity]
8. An Introduction to Cryptography – Offered by Coventry University and University of Coding – [FutureLearn]
9. Cryptography – [LinkedIn Learning]

Why These Cryptography Classes?

We searched the web for the best cryptography lessons online and found 100s of options. From them, we picked the top 30 listings and compared them on five parameters:

1. What are the course offerings?
2. Are the reviews good?
3. Is it paid?
4. Do you get a certification?
5. Is the instructor qualified?

It helped us narrow down the list to the top 20 programs, and then we presented this list to cryptography pros globally, and they helped us pick the below-listed nine courses. Let us discuss them one by one.

9 Best Cryptography Classes and Courses Online

1. Cryptography I – Offered by Stanford – [Coursera]

Cryptography helps shield computer systems and understanding it is the purpose of this Coursera’s best cryptography course online. Across the class, you will find several open problems in cryptography. Hence, it is a hands-on class, and you will work on several programming projects.

After you finish this class, you can take Part 2 of the course, which covers more advanced cryptographic tasks like privacy mechanisms, zero-knowledge, and other encryption forms.

What will you learn?

In these cryptography classes, you will learn the following:

1. Inner workings of cryptographic techniques
2. Using the cryptographic systems in the real-world applications
3. How two entities with a shared secret key communicate securely
4. What happens when a powerful attacker eavesdrops and meddles with traffic
5. Deployed protocols
6. Understand the mistakes in existing systems
7. Public-key techniques that let two parties generate a shared secret key

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2. TOTAL: Conversation on Cryptography: w/ Mike Meyers – [Udemy]

In this class, you will study with Mike Meyers and Bill Saichek. They take you through this Udemy lesson in the most casual, fun, and informative manner. Across the session, Mike and Bill break down the complex topics to help you get well-versed with cryptography.

What will you learn?

It is the best cryptography course online from Udemy. Some things you will learn in this class are:

1. Caesar and Vigenere ciphers
2. Understanding cryptography and the key role it plays in shielding our digital data
3. Knowing how hashing can help us be sure that the data received or downloaded is legitimate
4. How to translate ciphers into the binary language of computers (1s and 0s).
5. Finding how the top sites employ the certification to ensure that your usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal data stay secure
6. Learning hashing, ciphers, asymmetric and symmetric cryptosystems, binary, public key infrastructure, and digital signatures and certificates
7. Preparing for the CompTIA Security+ exam by getting well-versed with PKI and cryptography, one of the top six exams in this domain. Here’s a prep course guide for CompTIA IT Fundamentals.

Prerequisites

Some prerequisites associated with this cryptography course online are:

1. Basic familiarity with networks and PCs
2. Curiosity and interest in cryptography
3. Interest in the science of encryption and decryption and learning how it keeps our data safe across networks

Beyond this, there are no specific prerequisites associated with this class.

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3. Introduction to Applied Cryptography Specialization – Offered by University of Colorado – [Coursera]

It is a detailed Coursera specialization. There are four cryptography classes in this specialization. These include:

1. Classical Cryptosystems and Core Concepts
2. Mathematical Foundations for Cryptography
3. Symmetric Cryptography
4. Asymmetric Cryptography and Key Management

Every class in this specialization has one related project. The projects help the learners objectively evaluate different cryptographic methods applicable to cybersecurity. Across the session, all the project assignments are graded.

So, to finish the specialization, you should avail yourself of 100% of the projects.

What will you learn?

In these cryptography courses online the chapters taught are:

1. Fundamental security issues in computer communications
2. Classical cryptographic algorithms
3. Symmetric-key cryptography
4. Authentication
5. Public-key cryptography
6. Digital signatures

Prerequisites

It is a beginner-friendly class, and you need no prior experience for this course.

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4. Unlocking Information Security I: From Cryptography to Buffer Overflows – Offered by Tel Aviv University and IsraelX – [edX]

This can be your pick if you are looking for a free cryptography course online. Though you will have to pay for the certificate and you won’t get instructor access, you can read the course material for free.
 
Its associated program includes a professional certificate in Unlocking Information Security.

What will you learn?

In the first part of these cryptography classes you will discover the following:

1. Basic terminology and concepts in the field of information security
2. Vulnerabilities, exploits, and an in-depth look at a real case study (Meltdown).
3. Some of the prevalent examples of design flaws
4. Implementation bugs and social engineering
5. Understanding of cryptography with focus on symmetric ciphers
6. High-level examination of hash functions
7. In addition, this cryptography course online also covers the evolution of cryptography
8. Overview of standard hash algorithms
9. Knowledge of famous ciphers and how to crack them
10. Rising cyber-attacks and how to counter them
11. Authentication schemes, including passwords, challenge-response, and biometrics
12. Clarity on hash functions – what they are, how to use, and how they get attacked
13. A critical view of different authentication schemes: passwords, challenge-response systems, and biometrics
14. Buffer Overflow, including common variants like Variable and Stack Overflow and simple yet effective mitigation techniques like canaries and DEP

Prerequisites

These are intermediate-level cryptography classes. Hence, there are some prerequisites associated with them. These include:

1. Familiarity with the Python programming language
2. Mathematical maturity, including algebra knowledge, elementary combinatorics, and probability

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5. Cryptography and Hashing Fundamentals in Python and Java – [Udemy]

 
This Udemy class takes you through hashing and cryptography in Java and Python. The course takes you through the theory and the implementation of every grasped cryptographic algorithm and ways to crack these systems.

What will you learn?

Some things you will learn in this cryptography course online are:

1. What is the aim of cryptography?
2. Basics of private key encryption systems
3. Understand the basics of public key encryption systems
4. Caesar cipher theory and implementation
5. How to crack Caesar’s cipher
6. Frequency analysis and language detection
7. Vigenere cipher theory and implementation
8. How to decode Vigenere cipher with Kasiski-algorithm
9. One of the sections from these cryptography classes talks about random and pseudo-random numbers
10. One Time Pad (OTP) and Shannon’s secrecy
11. The XOR logical operator
12. Why is it impossible to crack the Vernam cipher?
13. Shannon’s secrecy, confusion, and diffusion
14. Data encryption standard (DES) theory and implementation
15. Cryptoanalysis techniques
16. Linear cryptoanalysis and differential cryptoanalysis
17. Advanced encryption standard (AES) theory and implementation

A few other things covered in this cryptography course online are:

18. RSA and Diffie-Hellman key exchange algorithm
19. Modular arithmetic basics
20. Elliptic Curve Cryptography
21. Understand hashing
22. Problems with private key cryptosystems
23. Modular arithmetic fundamentals
24. Finding prime numbers – naive approach and advanced algorithms
25. Prime numbers and primitive roots
26. Diffie-Hellman key exchange algorithm theory and implementation
27. Man-in-the-middle attack
28. Why does Bitcoin use elliptic curve cryptography?
29. More topics included in these cryptography classes are Euclidean algorithm; Euclidean and the greatest common divisor (GCD) problem
30. Discrete logarithm problem
31. Random numbers and prime numbers in cryptography
32. Integer factorization problem
33. RSA algorithm theory and implementation
34. The problem of factorization
35. Birthday paradox
36. Elliptic curve cryptography theory and implementation
37. What is hashing in cryptography?
38. Properties of hashing
39. MD5 and SHA algorithms
40. Extended Euclidean algorithm (EGCD)
41. Modular inverse problem

Prerequisites

You must have an interest in cryptography for this cryptography course online. Some prior experience in a programming language, especially Java or Python, can help.

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6. Advanced Cryptography Concepts – [Udemy]

Next, we have another excellent Udemy class.

What will you learn?

In this cryptography course online, you will learn the following:

1. Advanced Cryptography Concepts, PKI, Basic Cryptography, Encryption Systems, Symmetric, and Asymmetric
2. Applications of Cryptography
3. Private and public key pairs
4. Binary math
5. Symmetric and asymmetric algorithms with practical use cases
6. WEP and DES
7. Cryptographic Secure Channels and cybersecurity defense countermeasures
8. VPS, IPSEC, AH, ESP, and significant attacks against cryptosystems
9. How Blockchain works as a security solution. Check out these Blockchain certifications

Prerequisites

For this class, you need knowledge of network fundamentals.

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7. Applied Cryptography – [Udacity]

It is a free cryptography course online comprising rich learning content and multiple interactive resources. You will learn with top industry pros in the self-paced learning method.

In this class, you will see how to write and share secrets and what can go wrong when cryptography is misused or poorly implemented. It is a hands-on class. So, across the session, you will learn by doing.

What will you learn?

Some things you will learn in these cryptography classes are:

1. What makes certain ciphers perfect?
2. How to break Lorenz Cipher?
3. Sending messages when two people share a secret.
4. Symmetric Encryption
5. Key Exchange
6. Techniques to establish a shared secret
7. Asymmetric Encryption
8. Exchanging information using public key cryptosystems.
9. Public Key Protocols
10. Encrypted key exchange, certificates, secure commerce.
11. Using Cryptographic Primitives
12. Role of cryptography in anonymizing communication, voting, and digital cash.
13. Secure Computation
14. Computing without exposing data.

Prerequisites

It is Udacity’s best cryptography course online. The class is free. So, you need no money to take this class. But, this session assumes prior previous programming experience and some familiarity with and theory of computation and algorithm analysis.

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8. An Introduction to Cryptography – Offered by Coventry University and University of Coding – [FutureLearn]

Next, we have cryptography classes by FutureLearn. You will collaborate and meet with other learners, partake in active discussions, and share ideas at every step across the course.

What will you learn?

In this class, you will learn the following:

1. Random number generation
2. Introduction to cryptography and cryptanalysis
3. Explain the concepts used in early substitution and translation ciphers
4. Apply cryptanalysis methods to simple ciphers
5. Foundations of data security
6. The mathematical concepts underpinning cryptography
7. Encrypting data yourself by completing a cryptography and cryptanalysis challenge
8. Assess simple cryptographic techniques from a practical and theoretical viewpoint
9. Demonstrate the use of hashing, salt, and nonces in a variety of applications
10. Describe the concepts of entropy, pseudorandomness, and unicity
11. Classical cryptography and historical ciphers

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9. Cryptography – [LinkedIn Learning]

LinkedIn is a hub for some of the best cryptography courses online. On the platform, you will see classes by top experts and institutions. You can find sessions for beginner, intermediate, or advanced levels. There are both paid and free sessions on the platform.

There are both self-paced and instructor-led classes. With the paid sessions, you will bag a certification. It will be a shareable certificate. So, you can download, print, and include it in your CV or share it on your social media to amplify your chances of bagging a job.

Of the many options, the three best LinkedIn Learning offerings include:

• Learning Cryptography and Network Security
• Ethical Hacking: Cryptography
• Symmetric Cryptography Essential Training
• Conversations on Cryptography

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Related: Ethical Hacking Courses
 
Conclusion

So, these are the top nine best cryptography classes online. We have tried to include all details about these courses. Regardless, these are all top-notch lectures, one better than the other. But, we have a personal recommendation for our readers. It is the Cryptography I – Offered by Stanford – [Coursera]. You can back it with part 2 of the class for a wholesome learning experience.