Cryptography Decrypted [Paperback]

H. X. Mel (Author), Doris M. Baker (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201616475 | ISBN-13: 978-0201616477 | Publication Date: December 31, 2000 | Edition: 1

Cryptography is at the heart of computer security: without it, secure e-commerce and Internet communications would be impossible. Decision-makers and sophisticated computer users need to understand cryptography -- but most explanations are highly mathematical and technical. Cryptography Decrypted explains cryptography in "plain English" -- and is authoritative and thorough enough to address the needs of professionals. It explains the processes step-by-step, with extensive visuals. The authors present the elements of cryptography systems; public key infrastructure (PKI); and the IPSec standard for virtual private network security; then review real-world systems and their applications. They show how real-world systems are attacked, and how to protect them; introduce essential cryptographic terms; and present the fascinating history of cryptography through sidebars highlighting its important events, people, and breakthroughs. For every decision-maker and computer user who needs to understand cryptography, this book is also ideal for security pros who need to educate management about cryptography.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Fundamental security concepts like cryptography and digital signatures are becoming as much a part of our everyday lives as megabytes and the Internet. Anyone working with computer security--security professionals, network administrators, IT managers, CEOs, and CIOs--need to have a comfortable understanding of the cryptographic concepts in this book.

Cryptography Decrypted shows you how to safeguard digital possessions. It is a clear, comprehensible, and practical guide to the essentials of computer cryptography, from Caesar's Cipher through modern-day public key. Cryptographic capabilities like detecting imposters and stopping eavesdropping are thoroughly illustrated with easy-to-understand analogies, visuals, and historical sidebars.

You need little or no background in cryptography to read Cryptography Decrypted. Nor does it require technical or mathematical expertise. But for those with some understanding of the subject, this book is comprehensive enough to solidify knowledge of computer cryptography and challenge those who wish to explore the high-level math appendix.

Divided into four parts, the book explains secret keys and secret key methods like DES, public and private keys, and public key methods like RSA; how keys are distributed through digital certificates; and three real-world systems. Numerous graphics illustrate and clarify common cryptographic terminology throughout.

You will find coverage of such specific topics as:

• Secret key and secret key exchanges
• Public and private keys
• Digital signatures
• Digital certificates, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and PGP
• Hashes and message digests
• Secure e-mail, secure socket layer (SSL), and Internet Protocol Security (IPsec)
• Protecting keys
• Cryptographic attacks
• Authentication, confidentiality, integrity, and nonrepudiation

"Even after ten years working in the field of information protection for a major electronics manufacturing company, I learned a lot from this book. I think you will too."

--From the Foreword by John Kinyon

0201616475B04062001

About the Author

H.X. Mel consults and develops computer systems for organizations such as Lucent, Xerox, MIT, the U.S. Government, Motorola, Goldman Sachs, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Doris Baker is a freelance technical writer and editor.

0201616475AB04062001

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1 edition (December 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201616475
• ISBN-13: 978-0201616477
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #336,864 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #64 in Books > Computers & Technology > Hardware > Internet & Networking
  • #66 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Algorithms > Cryptography

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best introductory book bar none, December 17, 2001

By 

Linda Zarate "IT Ops Consultant" (Azusa, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cryptography Decrypted (Paperback)

This book clearly explains the foundation of cryptography, numbers, and the techniques that have emerged to provide modern security technologies. The book starts with Part I, that sets the context by introducing terms and the basics, including ciphers, data encryption standard (DES) and secret keys. The authors did a remarkable job by making complex concepts easy to understand. The next two parts go into more detail about public keys and digital certificates. While these are relatively simple to learn on the surface, the details have always eluded me until I read this book because more papers and books on the subject get too deep into details too fast and assume knowledge of advanced math on the part of the reader. Not so this book - the authors make it easy through clear writing, illustrations that illuminate the textual descriptions and a knack for explaining the complex in simple and easily digestible chunks.

I especially liked Part IV, which covers secure electronic commerce because it covered the full spectrum of technologies and the information is immediately useful to all IT and security professionals. Like in the first three parts of this book I came away with a complete understanding of how everything works.

This book epitomizes clear writing. Moreover, it is simply amazing how much knowledge can be relatively painlessly gained from reading this book. Although I am sure the authors intended to make the inner workings of cryptography accessible to non-security professionals (which they unquestionably accomplished), they also set a standard of excellence in technical writing by producing a book that is, in my opinion, near perfect in its ability to seamlessly use lively prose and well thought out illustrations to convey highly technical information. If you need to learn cryptography but are challenged by the math and the impenetratable writing of other books on the subject, start with this one.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really good intro to cryptography, April 20, 2001

By 

Ben Rothke "Author of 'Computer Security: 20 ... (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cryptography Decrypted (Paperback)

Technology is so full of acronyms and vernacular that many computer books have glossaries that are as thick as novellas. Fortunately, books such as Cryptography Decrypted: A Pictorial Introduction to Digital Security provide a good, largely jargon-free introduction to an often arcane subject.

Cryptography is one of the central components of information security. Without it, much that we take for granted, such as e-commerce and confidential e-mail, would be impossible. Cryptography has four main components: confidentiality (information can't be understood by anyone for whom it is not intended); integrity (information can't be altered in storage or transit without the alteration being detected); nonrepudiation (the sender can't later deny having created or sent a message); and authentication (the sender and receiver can confirm each other's identity and the origin and destination of the information). Each of these basics is discussed.

The meat of the book is divided into four parts: secret key cryptography, public key cryptography, key distribution, and real-world systems. Numerous illustrations clarify difficult concepts, such as hash functions.

This is one of the better introductions to contemporary cryptography, covering all the major topics in a user-friendly manner. While no mathematical background is required, readers will be surprised by how many mathematical concepts will become familiar by the end of the book.

While no novella, Cryptography Decrypted still captures the reader's attention. It is useful for any security professional needing to understand encryption, especially computer security specialists.

This review of mine originally appeared at...

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for security professionals w/out crypto backgrounds, March 30, 2001

By 

Richard Bejtlich "TaoSecurity" (Metro Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cryptography Decrypted (Paperback)

I am a senior engineer for managed network security operations. I administer systems which use cryptographic tools and processes (SSH, IPSec VPNs, etc.) and have seen cryptography hinder my network-based intrusion detection activities. I read this book to gain basic familiarity with the nuts and bolts of cryptography. I wanted a lively text which addressed modern issues, since computer books can be quickly overtaken by technological advances. This book delivers at all levels and belongs on every computer security professional's bookshelf.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was energetic, clear, well-organized, fully illustrated, and comprehensive. I believe it's THE book to read if you want an introduction to one of the major enablers of modern computing. Furthermore, because the book's goal is to explain the foundations of both secret and public key cryptography, it should stay relevant for many years.

"Cryptography Decrypted" does not spare any effort to ensure the reader understands the subject. Concepts are clarified and reinforced through text and diagrams on nearly every page. The authors know many readers are not attracted to mathematics, so they move the "heavy lifting" to an appendix. Even then, for readers willing to apply a little effort, the appendix is understandable and enlightening. At every stage of writing this book, the authors must have remembered to keep the non-cryptographer reader in mind. Kudos to their editors for keeping them on track!

The only disappointment was the book's failure to mention the Secure Shell (SSH). Because the authors believed it important to discusses popular implementations of cryptography (IPSec, SSL, PGP), I had hoped that SSH would be included. Most every UNIX sys admin is familiar with SSH, and might have enjoyed learning more about the guts of this indispensable tool.

I don't often give 5 star reviews; only 3 of my last 10 merited that rating. I give the highest marks to books which impress, educate, and entertain. "Cryptography Decrypted" delivers. If you have an interest in cryptography, read this book!

(Disclaimer: I received my review copy free from the publisher.)