Product Description

In today's unsafe and increasingly wired world cryptology plays a vital role in protecting communication channels, databases, and software from unwanted intruders. This revised and extended third edition of the classic reference work on cryptology now contains many new technical and biographical details. The first part treats secret codes and their uses - cryptography. The second part deals with the process of covertly decrypting a secret code - cryptanalysis, where particular advice on assessing methods is given. The book presupposes only elementary mathematical knowledge. Spiced with a wealth of exciting, amusing, and sometimes personal stories from the history of cryptology, it will also interest general readers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1328666 in Books
• Published on: 2002-01-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 474 pages

Review
"The best single book on cryptology today." -- Cryptologia (from a review of a previous edition)

From the reviews of the fourth edition:

"This comprehensive updated edition is divided into two sections. The first part of the book deals with The People and the second concentrates on The Machinery. a ] This volume includes 191 Figures, 29 Tables and 16 Color Plates, plus an Appendix. a ] Friedrich L. Bauer Professor Emeritus of Mathematics and Computer Science a ] has written an outstanding book on cryptology that belongs in your personal library or as a gift for a friend. a ] There are other fascinating sidelights to this excellent book." (The Cryptogram, Page 15, 2007)

"By far the best single work on the subject." -- David Kahn

Customer Reviews

Detailed technical guide for enthusiasts and experts.
A technical guide covering the simplest code and ciphers up to recent computer base algorithms. This is a two-part guide, the first covering different classes of code, their history, construction and mathematical analysis. The second part covering various techniques to analyse and break the ciphers. These are not quick fix type breaks but scientific methods for attacking an essentially mathematical problem.

A recommended read for anyone wanting a more indept and less historical look at this topic.

Detailed and (probably, what do I know?) comprehensive
I don't often give 5 stars, and it certainly isn't the kind of silly-headed "I've got a new book!" exuberance I've seen so often on Amazon reviews, be sure of that. Fact is, I still haven't completely read this book. I started, quickly got stuck, and gave up. That was almost a year ago. Hey, I'm a talentless cyberpunk wannabee, cryptology is required reading, right?

So I drifted along reading other, easier, books about programming, operating systems, computer security and the like ...until recently my girlfriend gifted me "The Code Book", by Simon Singh. Pure popular science hokum, of course, but a very jolly read nonetheless, and it (specifically the cryptanalysis challenge at the end) re-ignited my earlier, misguided, fascination.

"Decrypted Secrets" (subtitled "Methods and Maxims of Cryptology") is divided into two parts: firstly cryptography, starting with simple concepts, getting mathematical very quickly and proceeding to harder things. I still get stuck in here, but I assure you it's really very precise and thorough. It looks it anyway. The second half is on cryptanalysis - the main reason I dusted it off - and once you get rolling in it all makes good sense. I shan't go on. Let me conclude, though, by saying that I am certain "Decrypted Secrets" provides an ideal technical complement to the history provided by David Kahn's "The Codebreakers". Erm, which I also haven't finished. High praise though. I think. Yes.

A carry-around
A "carry-around" is a book you find so precious, that you have to take it everywhere with you - even the bath. Books can be obsessive, and this book thoroughly deserves to be someone's obsession. I spent several months digesting its contents, useful if you are writing a cryptographic program, as I was at the time. In its historical research it is first rate with surprising and novel examples, which both delight and instruct. As a mathematician, I was able to deal with the mathematical approach.... even so the writing becomes less accessible when the writer lets his mathematical side have full sway. It's thorough, meticulous and precise. It's the kind of book, which banishes the need for any other book of its kind.