Elliptic Curve Cryptography: Foundations, Applications, and Quantum Future

Discussion in this podcast provides a comprehensive overview of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), a modern public-key encryption method. They explain that ECC leverages the Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem (ECDLP) for its security, allowing for smaller key sizes and greater efficiency compared to traditional algorithms like RSA. It details ECC's mathematical foundations, including curve definitions and point operations, and illustrate its widespread applications in areas like secure web communication (TLS), cryptocurrencies, and mobile devices. Crucially, we also discuss implementation vulnerabilities and highlight the existential threat posed by quantum computing via Shor's algorithm, leading to the necessary development and adoption of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) solutions for future security.