A High-level Introduction to Bitcoin and Blockchain Protocols

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Cybersecurity Lab Seminar Series
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Speaker:        Dr. Dimitris Papadopoulos
                University of Maryland

Title:          "A High-level Introduction to Bitcoin and Blockchain
                 Protocols"

Date:           Thursday, 8 December 2016

Time:           11:00am - 12 noon

Venue:          Lecture Theater F (near lifts 25/26), HKUST


Abstract:

Since its launch in 2009 Bitcoin has emerged as the most widely used
cryptographic currency with a market capitalization of more than 11
billion USD. Moreover, its success has spurred the introduction of several
alternative cryptocurrencies (or "altcoins" for short). In this overview
talk, we will provide a technical basis for understanding how the Bitcoin
protocol operates. In particular, we will describe how a blockchain that
can be used to detect double-spending is built, and how cryptographic
puzzles help establish consensus on this blockchain in a fully
decentralized manner. Finally, we will discuss the challenges that
cryptocurrencies face, both in terms of scalability and security, and
highlight future research directions.


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Biography:

Dimitris Papadopoulos is a Post-doctoral researcher at the University of
Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, and will be joining
HKUST as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and
Engineering in Spring of 2017. His research interests include applied
cryptography, network security, and secure cloud computing. He received
his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Boston University in 2016 and, prior to
this, a Diploma in Applied Mathematics from the National Technical
University of Athens, Greece.