Heiko Knospe

Heiko Knospe studied mathematics and obtained his doctorate from the University of Münster in Germany. He then worked as an expert in cryptology and security for Deutsche Telekom. Since 2003 he has been Professor of Mathematics at Technische Hochschule Köln. He teaches mathematics, cryptography and IT security in Bachelor's and Master's programs. "It is exciting to see how important algebra and number theory are in modern cryptography. Elliptic curves are now widely used and new methods of post-quantum cryptography are based on lattices and coding theory. However, the security guarantee offered by cryptography cannot unconditional and depends on certain assumptions. Furthermore, the implementation in hardware or software and the correct use of the methods are equally important for achieving the security goals."