---
title: The Mathematics of the RSA Cipher
osem_url: https://osem.seagl.org/conferences/seagl2015/program/proposals/27
beginning: '2015-10-23T15:00:00.000-07:00'
end: '2015-10-23T15:50:00.000-07:00'
presenters:
- name: Brian Raiter
  osem_url: https://osem.seagl.org/users/46
  gravatar_id: 21b92bcebd1324d0615b97c993469643
  biography: Brian Raiter is a professional software engineer, and a long-standing
    recreational programmer.
---

Most people know that RSA depends on some special attributes of very large prime numbers, but little else. The mathematics behind the RSA cipher are subtle but surprisingly accessible. This talk will explain the mechanics and the logic that make the RSA algorithm work. No mathematical skill beyond basic algebra is needed. Come and learn about (one of) the games that prime numbers play.
