Code and Cipher, published quarterly by Certicom Corp., is an educational newsletter that covers the security and cryptography industry. In each issue we will examine security issues and cryptography trends in an objective manner. We welcome your thoughts, opinions and comments on anything that affects the industry. Please send your feedback on this issue and what you’d like to see in upcoming ones to: codeandcipher@certicom.com.

Grand beginnings: The cryptography community comes together for the first annual Certicom ECC Conference

The first annual Certicom ECC Conference brought together industry professionals, academics and cryptographic luminaries to discuss the science and the business of elliptic curve cryptography. This article provides an overview of the 2 day conference, the speakers and their presentation topics.

At Certicom’s ECC Conference in November 2004, several speakers offered their personal insights into the beginnings of public-key cryptography and the rise of ECC. The following article represents an amalgamation and condensation of the stories they told.

The decision by Research in Motion Limited (RIM) to use ECC to secure the BlackBerry demonstrates why ECC is ideal in constrained environments.

Dr. Scott Vanstone provides a personal reflection on the ECC Conference.

Colossus Rebuilt & Crypto Challenges Solved