We all know that crypto is hard. It's now a cliché. But thinking about crypto effectively is not hard. Did you pass notes with your friends in elementary school? Keep a secret notebook? Then you have a background appropriate to the task. In this roller coaster of a talk, I'll cover what crypto works, what doesn't work, the basic components and how they're put together. I can't tell you how to build a cryptosystem in fifty minutes, but can give you the basics of how it all works. Think of this as a workshop in high-performance driving, as opposed to mechanical engineering.
Jon Callas is a cryptographer, software engineer, and entrepreneur. He is the co-author of many crypto and security systems including OpenPGP, DKIM, ZRTP, Skein, and Threefish. He has co-founded several startups including PGP, Silent Circle, and Blackphone. He has worked on security and crypto for Apple, Tesla, Kroll-O'Gara, Counterpane, and Entrust. He is fond of Leica cameras, Morgan sports cars, and Birman cats.