Speaker: Thomas Brazelton

Abstract: We will provide an abridged history of the emergence of elliptic curve cryptography as a cryptographic standard, and will pay particular attention to the different actors involved: namely industry, academia, and a certain government agency that in all likelihood has tapped your email and knows you’re currently reading this abstract. This is a tale of crypto-core libertarians, Bézout’s theorem, bribery, corruption, abelian varieties, and illegal mass surveillance. No background in cryptography is assumed.