Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C: Amazon.ca: Bruce Schneier: Books

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Cryptographic techniques have applications far beyond the obvious uses of encoding and decoding information. For Internet developers who need to know about capabilities, such as digital signatures, that depend on cryptographic techniques, there's no better overview than Applied Cryptography, the definitive book on the subject. Bruce Schneier covers general classes of cryptographic protocols and then specific techniques, detailing the inner workings of real-world cryptographic algorithms including the Data Encryption Standard and RSA public-key cryptosystems. The book includes source-code listings and extensive advice on the practical aspects of cryptography implementation, such as the importance of generating truly random numbers and of keeping keys secure.

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"the definitive publicly available text on the theory and practice of cryptography" (Computer Shopper, January 2002)

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Suppose a sender wants to send a message to a receiver. Read the first page

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90 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

4.6 out of 5 stars (90 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars The unique and original applied cryptography book!, Jun 26 2007

By

Olivier Langlois "www.OlivierLanglois.net" (Montreal, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C (Paperback)

This book is extremely complete. It briefly covers the history of cryptography. It describes the political implications of cryptography and finally it shows how cryptography can be used in applications and presents the different cryptographic algorithms.

The algorithm section starts with a number theory primer.Honestly, I have found it a little bit too thin to learn all the needed background to fully understand the algorithms but on the other side, you cannot expect a simple 600 pages book to provide that background in the latest mathematical research number theories. It has at least the merit that it did stimulate my curiosity about number theory when I have read the first edition of this book.

Another point that makes this book interesting is that at the end of each chapter presenting the various algorithms in a given category, you will get Bruce Schneier opinion on which algorithm is the best. Of course, this type of information usually become outdated real fast but it is interesting to follow his thought process and test his predictions as the book grow older.

So, if you are looking for your first cryptography book, it should be this one.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reference for any programmer, July 14 2004

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wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C (Paperback)

Over the long term, this is the applied math book that I come back to most often.

The first quarter of the book may come as a surprise. It's not about encryption, it's about secure protocols. This is great stuff. It includes secure key exchange, where you and I can agree on an encryption key in a public conversation, but none of the other listeners know what we agreed on. It includes zero-knowledge proofs, ways of establishing authorization without releasing your identity. It includes lots more, as well. The next brief section discusses different modes for using encryption algorithms, key management, and other logistics.

The third section is what you might have expected: detailed descriptions of many encryption schemes, taking up at least half the book. That includes public key schemes, private key codes, secure hashing algorithms, and all the other details needed for implementing the algorithms. One of the most useful subsections here is a set of pseudorandom number generators. It's not exhaustive, by any means - it omits the Mersenne Twister, for example. Still, it gives a fair set of algorithms, some of which are "cryptographically secure". That means the generator's output strongly resists attempts to find regularities, just the way a truly random sequence would.

The last two chapters give a brief summary of the practice, legalities, and even culture around cryptography.

This won't make you into a crypto professional. Despite its 600+ pages, it barely introduces the world of crypto and certainly doesn't release anything from the "closed" world of government agencies. It will, however, give you useful algorithms, a basic background, and an appreciation of just what real crypto is about. That last may be the most important part. Too many people think inventing a good code is like making love: anyone can do it, and they instinctively do it better than most people. Wrong! Real crypto is not for dabblers, and this book gives some sense of what is involved.

The first edition of "Applied Cryptography" was a landmark text, but the second edition is even better. It's so much better that, if you just have the first edition, you really should upgrade to the second, and I've never said that about any other book.

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5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a labor of love, May 29 2004

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A. Imran "a87" (Irvine, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C (Paperback)

If you want to buy a book which is a wonderful introduction to cryptography, then you have just found it.
Many books suffer from excessive bloat where the author tries to be everything to everybody.
This book is not one of them.
It's lean and clean and it'll turn you into a mean cryptographic machine.

Some reviewrs seem to berate the author for:
a) losing his job
b) trying to make a buck by writing books
c) not writing a mathematical tome

Well, I have some news for you:
a) Anyone can get laid off from any job at any time - period.
b) All authors write books for money.
c) The author clearly states at the beginning of the book under the heading, How to read this book - 'I wrote Applied Cryptography to be both a lively introduction to the field of cryptography and a comprehensive reference...This book is not intended to be a mathematical text.'

Need I say more.

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Most recent customer reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Only good for beginner
If you have no knowledge on cryptography and want to get some information, this book is suit for you. If you are doing some actual work, it's not a good one. Read more

Published on Mar 5 2004 by Vale

1.0 out of 5 stars A tour of algorithms by an outsider
If Bruce Schneier has acquired a habit, it is the ability to take the same old material and rehash it into different books, year after year. Read more