Cryptanalysis Career – Education, Certification & Salary

There is likely no more significant technological change in recent history than that produced by the rise of computing. An untold number of tasks handled by dozens of different technologies in the past are now managed by computers. Modern smartphones are a telling example: while mail correspondence, phone conversations, photography, and printed newspapers used to be handled by separate delivery systems and technology, they are now managed by a single device, which can simultaneously execute hundreds of other roles and functions.

Computing has changed not just the speed of communication but also its breadth: In the 1980s, if you wanted to send someone a video recording of a family function, you would have to create a VHS tape and then mail it. Today, sending a video is as easy as the tap of a button, with no dependence on physical data or mail delivery.

In addition to changing the speed and ease of communications, computer technology has also created a huge need to secure the data contained within it. As governments, private companies, and individuals move more of their important information onto computer systems, they also expose it to attacks from malicious actors who may attempt to benefit from it.

The most common technique to protect communications from prying eyes is a process known as encryption, in which communications are scrambled through computer algorithms, making them illegible to those who are not their intended recipient. Encryption itself is much older than computers and was used to disguise communications as early as the Middle Ages. In updated form, it provides the backbone for securing digital communications in the modern age. Modern encryption protects communications, intellectual property, and wealth in the form of digital rights management and cryptocurrency.

Individuals who are tasked with cracking these encryption methods are known as cryptanalysts. Their role is to use mathematical methods and computer programs to “break” the encryption to gain access to the information contained within. As not only individuals, companies and governments use encryption, but also criminal actors and terrorist organizations, the need for these professionals is steadily rising. This guide is intended to provide an overview of the education, certification processes, and salary that aspiring cryptanalysts may expect.

Meet the Expert: Neal Koblitz, PhD

Dr. Neal Koblitz is a professor of mathematics at the University of Washington. He specializes in cryptography and number theory, and teaches courses on advanced algebra, geometry and the history of mathematics.

He received his PhD in mathematics from Princeton University in 1974.

ForensicsColleges.com: Cryptography seems to be an area of study that touches many facets of our daily lives without being well understood by many. How would you explain the discipline to outsiders, and what relevance do you attribute to cryptography?

Dr. Koblitz: Throughout most of history, “cryptography” meant scrambling messages so that only the intended recipient, with whom you shared a secret key, could unscramble it. The field of cryptography was of professional interest only to spies and diplomats, although many others enjoyed trying to decrypt secret messages in their spare time, and children liked the decoder rings included in cereal boxes. All that changed radically in the computer age.

Cryptography now plays a vital role in ensuring the secure use of computers for everything from online shopping to telemedicine. It allows us to replace handwritten signatures with digital signatures that are far more resistant to forgery than was possible with the handwritten ones; to protect privacy and control access to sensitive data, such as trade secrets, credit card numbers, and medical records; and to invent a currency system that is outside any government’s control.

ForensicsColleges.com: The prefix “crypto-” is probably best known to many through the rise in cryptocurrencies. These seem to simultaneously promise greater security while also representing a highly volatile investment. Can you speak a bit to the role cryptography plays in these kinds of applications, and what misconceptions you run into when it comes to this subject?

Dr. Koblitz: Bitcoin was a brilliant invention that replaced third-party control of currencies (by banks and governments) with cryptographic controls, especially digital signatures. I initially was enthusiastic about Bitcoin and Ethereum, and in fact briefly consulted for Ethereum. I thought it was cool that people used Bitcoin to make donations to Wikileaks after the U.S. government used its power over credit card companies to block donations by credit card. That seemed to validate the developers belief that Bitcoin would contribute to expanding democratic rights.

However, the subsequent history of cryptocurrency uses has been disappointing—its role in enabling child pornography, drug-related money laundering, ransomware attacks, and purely speculative investing that brings windfall profits to a lucky few. The lesson from all this is that we need to avoid naively believing that technology will provide easy solutions to human problems. Cryptocurrency is a tool, and like other advances in technology it can be used for good or evil. That depends on the social context for its development, not on the technology Itself.

ForensicsColleges.com: Many of our readers will already have an interest in cryptography, but not necessarily an idea of what a career in the field would look like. What do you feel that prospective students should know before deciding on this area of study, and can you share any advice that helped you in your own career?

Dr. Koblitz: Cryptography is part of the multidisciplinary field of computer security, where people who have studied computer science, engineering, or mathematics collaborate to solve multifaceted problems. My own background is in pure mathematics, which is where all my research was for the first decade after my PhD. It turns out that doctoral study in math provides a good basis for working in cryptography because of the discipline in rigorous quantitative thinking and the experience in analyzing formal systems that one gets.

In fact, the National Security Agency, which is the world’s largest employer of cryptographers, has a history of favoring job candidates with strong mathematical training. In the academic world, however, many more cryptography researchers are in computer science departments than in math departments. Advanced training in computer science or related areas of electrical engineering is also a good background for later work in cryptography.

Cryptography & Cryptanalysis: What is the Difference?

Those interested in cryptanalysis may already be aware of the difference between this profession and a closely related role: cryptography. Essentially, these two tasks are codependent, but oftentimes performed by different people.

Cryptographers study and create their own encryptions, while cryptanalysts are tasked with breaking them. While there is no cryptanalysis without cryptography, and both disciplines are built on the same theoretical principles, the latter is largely focussed on studying, creating and improving encryptions, while the former is oriented towards making them legible again. The two fields can be said to exist in symbiosis with one another.

How to Become a Cryptanalyst

The world of computer science continues to award high compensation and stable employment based on skill and merit alone, and it is less beholden to the strict academic requirements of many other professions. Self-taught individuals with a high aptitude for the complicated mathematics that lie at the center of cryptanalysis and cryptography continue to enter fruitful careers without having completed a relevant degree, going on to fruitful careers.

However, not all individuals can enter the field on merit alone, and may need a strong educational background to thrive in this profession. For those people, the following steps may serve as stepping stones:

Step 1: Graduate from high school (four years): A high graduating GPA and coursework in computer science and mathematics will provide an solid foundation for a successful college application and to prepare for the rigors of university.

Step 2: Enroll in an undergraduate program (four years): a four year degree from an accredited institution in computer science, cybersecurity or mathematics may all provide good starting points for this career.

Step 3: Enter the field. In addition to internships during university, an entry level position in the information security or cybersecurity space is often the final step in entering the field. Alternatively, individuals may choose to further their education and boost their career prospects by attaining a master’s of science degree in cybersecurity, mathematics or computer science.

Below is a small selection of accredited four-year colleges which offer bachelor’s degrees relevant to this career:

University of North Texas

The University of Texas offers a bachelor’s of science in cybersecurity, which can be completed in four years or less. The university hosts the UNT Center for Information and Cyber Security (CICS), which is supported by the National Security Administration a well as the Department of Homeland Security, and may offer an ideal starting point for individuals who are interested in working for a government security agency.

• Location: Denton, Texas
• Duration: Four years
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

University of Colorado

The University of Colorado in Denver also offers a four year bachelor of science in cybersecurity. The school also offers several certificate programs in cybersecurity and computer science, and connects with local companies and agencies to provide internship opportunities to its students. The program consists of 120 credits and can be completed in four years or less.

• Location: Denver, Colorado
• Duration: Four years
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission