A cryptographic scheme is constructed so as to maintain a desired functionality, even under malicious attempts aimed at making it deviate from its prescribed behavior. The design of cryptographic systems must be based on firm foundations, whereas ad hoc approaches and heuristics are a very dangerous way to go. These foundations were developed mostly in the 1980s, in works that are all co-authored by Shafi Goldwasser and/or Silvio Micali. These works have transformed cryptography from an engineering discipline, lacking sound theoretical foundations, into a scientific field possessing a well-founded theory, which influences practice as well as contributes to other areas of theoretical computer science.

构造加密方案是为了保持所需的功能，即使在恶意尝试使其偏离其规定行为的情况下也是如此。密码系统的设计必须建立在坚实的基础上，而特别的方法和启发式是非常危险的。这些基金会主要是在20世纪80年代发展起来的，其作品都是由沙菲·戈德瓦瑟和/或西尔维奥·米卡利合著的。这些著作将密码学从一门缺乏坚实理论基础的工程学科转变为一个拥有坚实理论基础的科学领域，这一领域既影响实践，也有助于理论计算机科学的其他领域。