Surakarta, October 11, 2025 — The Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in collaboration with the Polytechnic of Cyber and Cryptography (Poltek SSN) and Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta as the host, successfully held a seminar entitled “The Role of Mathematics in Cybersecurity and Cryptography.”
The event was conducted in a hybrid format, with some participants attending in person at the FMIPA UNS Auditorium, Building C, 5th Floor, while others joined online. More than 100 participants took part in the seminar, consisting mainly of students from Mathematics, Mathematics Education, and Informatics study programs, as well as several non-academic participants.
The program began at 09.00 a.m. with a registration and pre-test session to assess participants’ initial understanding of cryptography and cybersecurity. The event was officially opened with a welcoming remark from Dr. Sri Rosdiana, head of the Poltek SSN team, who emphasized the importance of developing cryptographic skills in today’s digital era. The next speech was delivered by Dr. Indarsih, M.Si., representing the UGM Mathematics Department Community Service (PkM) team, highlighting the importance of inter-institutional collaboration in strengthening cryptography education and its application in information technology. The final remark was given by Dr. Putranto Hadi Utomo from UNS, who expressed his hope that the seminar would broaden participants’ insights and foster greater interest in applied mathematics, particularly in cryptography and cybersecurity.
The UGM team consisted of Dr. Indarsih, Dr. Solikhatun, Dr. Ari Dwi Hartanto, Dr. Iwan Ernanto, Dr. Uha Isnaini, and graduate students — Annisa Dini Handayani (Ph.D. student), Wiwied Ishartuti (Master’s student), and Delasari K. Pantow (Master’s student). Meanwhile, the Poltek SSN team, led by Dr. Sri Rosdiana, comprised seven members. The presence of both teams contributed significantly to the success of the event.
The first presentation was delivered by Dr. Santi Indarjani, who discussed the fundamental theories of cybersecurity and various types of digital data attacks. She emphasized that cryptography plays a vital role in maintaining cybersecurity and resilience by protecting sensitive data from increasingly complex threats. Through techniques such as encryption, hashing, and authentication, cryptography ensures the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data. Dr. Santi also underlined the importance of strengthening cryptographic regulations in Indonesia to ensure better data security standards, especially following the rise of data breach incidents in 2025.
The next session was presented by Dr. Uha Isnaini, Ph.D., with the topic “Cybersecurity for the Future: Preparing a Smart and Secure Digital Generation.” He discussed current challenges and solutions in cybersecurity, including the potential threats of quantum computing to conventional cryptographic systems such as RSA. As a countermeasure, he introduced the concept of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), which is resistant to quantum attacks, featuring new algorithms such as CRYSTALS-KYBER and CRYSTALS-DILITHIUM, now recognized as global standards under FIPS 203 and FIPS 204.
The event continued with a post-test session and an interactive discussion between participants and speakers. Four active questioners received door prizes, as did participants with the highest pre-test and post-test scores as a token of appreciation for their enthusiasm and engagement.
With the participants’ high level of enthusiasm, the seminar concluded at 12.30 p.m., extending beyond the initial schedule. The event successfully created an inspiring and productive academic atmosphere that broadened participants’ knowledge and opened up further opportunities for collaboration in the fields of cryptography and cybersecurity.
Keywords: cryptography, cybersecurity
Writer: Uha Isnaini
Photographer: Delasari K. Pantow