One sentence summary:
Applied Cryptography by Bruce Schneier is a comprehensive guide to understanding and implementing cryptography protocols and algorithms in the C programming language.
Book genre:
Non-fiction, computer science, cryptography.
Main topic of the book:
The book delves into the technical aspects of cryptography, covering a wide range of topics such as modern cryptographic algorithms, secure communication protocols, digital signatures, and authentication protocols.
Key ideas:
- Introduction to cryptography, including its history and importance in the modern digital world.
- Explanation of various cryptographic algorithms and their uses, such as symmetric and asymmetric key encryption, hashing, and digital signatures.
- Discussion of different types of attacks on cryptographic systems and how to protect against them.
- In-depth analysis of popular secure communication protocols, including SSL/TLS, IPsec, and PGP.
- Detailed guide to implementing cryptography in C, including code examples and explanations.
- Exploration of the legal and ethical aspects of cryptography, such as government regulations and privacy concerns.
Main parts of the book and a short summary:
- Part I: Introduction to Cryptography – Provides an overview of cryptography and its applications, as well as a history of cryptography and its role in modern society.
- Part II: Primitives – Covers the fundamental building blocks of cryptography, including mathematical concepts, cryptographic algorithms, and data structures.
- Part III: Protocols – Explores various secure communication protocols, such as SSL/TLS, IPsec, and PGP, and explains how they work.
- Part IV: Modes – Discusses different modes for using cryptographic algorithms, such as block ciphers and stream ciphers, and their advantages and disadvantages.
- Part V: Implementations – Provides a detailed guide to implementing cryptography in the C programming language, with code examples and explanations.
- Part VI: Security – Examines potential attacks on cryptographic systems and how to protect against them, as well as legal and ethical considerations.
Key takeaways:
- Comprehensive guide to understanding and implementing cryptography.
- In-depth analysis of popular cryptographic algorithms and protocols.
- Detailed explanations and code examples for implementing cryptography in C.
- Discusses potential attacks on cryptographic systems and how to protect against them.
- Explores the legal and ethical aspects of cryptography.
Author’s background and qualifications:
Bruce Schneier is an American cryptographer, computer security expert, and author. He has published numerous books on cryptography and security, and is the founder and chief technology officer of the security company Counterpane. He is also a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School. Schneier has a Master of Science degree in computer science from American University and a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the University of Rochester.
Target audience:
Applied Cryptography is aimed at computer science professionals, security experts, and students interested in learning about cryptography and implementing it in their systems. It assumes a basic understanding of mathematics and programming, making it suitable for both beginners and advanced readers.
Publisher and first publication date:
Applied Cryptography was first published in 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. It has since been updated and reprinted several times, with the latest edition published in 1996.