The Strategic Shift: Why Cryptography Now?

For some time now, my doctoral work as a PhD student in Information Technology has focused on real-world systems, particularly my involvement with the Invisible Internet Project (I2P). This hands-on experience has been invaluable, offering a front-row seat to the practical complexities and intricate challenges of building and maintaining secure, decentralized networks.

However, that engagement also illuminated a critical insight: to truly push the boundaries of secure systems and contribute at a foundational level, I needed to deepen my understanding of the mathematical elegance and rigorous proofs that underpin modern cryptography. My existing background provides the context; this pivot is about mastering the core discipline itself.

So, this isn’t a leap into the unknown from scratch; it’s a strategic intensification of my existing academic journey. I’m making a deliberate, focused shift to solidify my expertise at the very core of digital trust.

My Integrated Path to Cryptographic Mastery

While I’m already engaged in PhD-level research, this pivot acknowledges specific areas for growth particularly refining my mathematical fluency in cryptographic contexts and enhancing my programming for secure implementations. I believe a structured, disciplined approach will effectively bridge these areas.

Here’s how I’m tackling this next phase of my academic and professional development:

  1. The Theoretical Bedrock: Embracing Mathematical Rigor

    My primary guide for this deep dive is “Introduction to Modern Cryptography” by Katz and Lindell. This book is teaching me the formal definitions, security models, and the intricate mathematical proofs (modular arithmetic, finite fields, elliptic curves) that underpin everything from symmetric encryption to digital signatures. It’s about understanding not just what a primitive does, but why it’s provably secure.

  2. Bridging Theory with Real-World Practice

    To ensure my learning remains grounded, I’m integrating insights from “Real-World Cryptography” by David Wong and “Serious Cryptography” by Jean-Philippe Aumasson. These resources are critical for understanding how cryptographic concepts are implemented, the common pitfalls developers face, and how subtle misuses can lead to catastrophic vulnerabilities in systems like those I’ve worked on with I2P.

  3. Hands-On Coding: Fortifying Implementation Skills

    While my IT background includes coding, I’m specifically honing my skills for secure cryptographic implementation. My focus is on robust use of libraries and understanding attacks through practical application. Cryptopals is proving invaluable here, forcing me to break crypto by writing code, which directly teaches defensive strategies. I’m also deeply engaging with official cryptographic library documentation (e.g., Python’s cryptography library, PyNaCl) to learn best practices for secure API usage.

  4. Focused Research Trajectories

    My ultimate goal is to contribute to cutting-edge research. I’m especially fascinated by areas like Private Information Retrieval (PIR), the design of encrypted data structures (e.g., Oblivious RAM, Structured Encryption), and the emerging challenges of cryptography for AI (such as watermarking and privacy-preserving machine learning). My goal is to integrate provable security with innovative use cases, leveraging my background in distributed systems from I2P.

The Commitment is Clear

The path to becoming an applied scientist in cryptography, especially at the PhD level, is demanding. It requires relentless learning, deep analytical thinking, and a commitment to integrating diverse skill sets. I’m under no illusion that it’s easy, but my resolve is firm. I believe the future of privacy, security, and digital trust hinges on robust, provably secure cryptography, and I’m dedicated to being part of building that future. This blog will serve as a weekly log of my structured journey, sharing what I learn, the challenges I face, and some insights for others on similar paths.

Stay tuned for weekly updates on my progress!