Technical Fundamentals & Core Skills Topics
Core technical concepts including algorithms, data structures, statistics, cryptography, and hardware-software integration. Covers foundational knowledge required for technical roles and advanced technical depth.
String Algorithms and Pattern Matching
Advanced string processing beyond basic manipulation: substring search (KMP, Rabin-Karp, Z-algorithm), tries and suffix structures, edit distance, and text-parsing problems. Covers the algorithmic machinery behind search, autocomplete, and tokenization. Distinct from introductory string manipulation in depth and complexity.
Cryptography Fundamentals
Core concepts and vocabulary of cryptography: confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation; the difference between symmetric and asymmetric primitives; and how standard algorithms, libraries, and protocols fit together. Covers threat models, common standards, and applying primitives and cryptographic libraries correctly to real-world security problems. The entry point for the cryptography track.
Cryptographic Hashing and Digital Signatures
Cryptographic hash functions (collision resistance, preimage resistance), message authentication codes, and digital-signature schemes. Covers HMAC, signature verification, and how hashing underpins integrity, commitments, and authentication. Distinct from non-cryptographic hashing used in data structures.
Random Number Generation and Entropy
Sources of randomness and their role in security: entropy collection, cryptographically secure pseudorandom number generators (CSPRNGs), seeding, and the consequences of weak or reused randomness. Covers distinguishing statistical from cryptographic randomness and diagnosing entropy-related vulnerabilities.