Discrete Math › Section D · Counting › Topic D.11
Probability in algorithms and security
Computers use randomness on purpose: to sort quickly, to test huge numbers for primality, to estimate quantities and to make keys that attackers cannot guess. The counting and expectation tools of this section explain why these methods work and how far to trust them.
In this topic
- Randomness as a tool
- The birthday problem and hash collisions
- Worked example: a 32-bit hash
- Las Vegas and Monte Carlo algorithms
- Worked example: shrinking the error
- Estimating by random sampling
- Chebyshev's inequality
- Measuring password strength
- Where the randomness comes from
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
This topic is part of Wuanberri Pro. Checking your access…