Serious Cryptography, 2nd Edition (a Practical Introduction To Modern Encryption)

By (author) Aumasson Jean-Philippe
Description:
This practical guide to modern encryption breaks down the fundamental mathematical concepts at the heart of cryptography without shying away from meaty discussions of how they work. You''ll learn about authenticated encryption, secure randomness, hash functions, block ciphers, and public-key techniques such as RSA and elliptic curve cryptography. You''ll also learn: key concepts in cryptography, such as computational security, attacker models, and forward secrecy; the strengths and limitations of the TLS protocol behind HTTPS secure websites; quantum computation and post-quantum cryptography; about various vulnerabilities by examining numerous code examples and use cases; how to choose the best algorithm or protocol and ask vendors the right questions. Each chapter includes a discussion of common implementation mistakes using real-world examples and details what could go wrong and how to avoid these pitfalls. This new second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated, with a new chapter on Cryptocurrency. Whether you''re a seasoned practitioner or a beginner looking to dive into the field, Serious Cryptography will provide a complete survey of modern encryption and its applications.
Table of contents:
Foreword from the First Edition
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Abbreviations
Part I: Fundamentals
Chapter 1: Encryption
Chapter 2: Randomness
Chapter 3: Cryptographic Security
Part II: Symmetric Crypto
Chapter 4: Block Ciphers
Chapter 5: Stream Ciphers
Chapter 6: Hash Functions
Chapter 7: Keyed Hashing
Chapter 8: Authenticated Encryption
Part III: Asymmetric Crypto
Chapter 9: Hard Problems
Chapter 10: RSA
Chapter 11: Diffie–Hellman
Chapter 12: Elliptic Curves
Part IV: Applications
Chapter 13: TLS 255
Chapter 14: Quantum and Post-Quantum
Chapter 15: Cryptocurrency Cryptography
Index
Review quote:
“Like having a wise friend explain all of cryptography''s mysteries without making your head spin. The book stands out for its practical approach, which provides real-world applications and insights. It is considered mandatory reading for security engineers undergoing onboarding within my team, providing an essential foundation for their professional development.”
—Anastasiia Voitova, Head of security engineering at Cossack Labs

"Fills [the need for an accessible and readable resource on cryptography], taking the reader on a journey through different cryptographic tools and how to use them, as well as the important ''what can go wrong'' sections that fill the book. . . Serious Cryptography is an enjoyable introduction to the field, and one that comes highly recommended."
—Yehuda Lindell, Head of Cryptography at Coinbase

“A properly serious introduction . . it has the right structure on which one can build a thorough understanding of cryptography.”
—Thomas Pornin, Technical Vice President, NCC Group
Biographical note:
Jean-Philippe (JP) Aumasson holds a PhD in cryptography and has authored over 60 research articles. His cryptographic algorithms BLAKE2 and SipHash run in every Linux system, with his BLAKE3 renowned for its exceptional speed. Aumasson, currently CSO at Taurus SA, also conducts cryptography training and speaks at leading conferences worldwide such as Black Hat, DEF CON, Troopers, and Infiltrate.