Would like to learn more about cryptography

[mattlear]

I'm looking to learn about cryptography - I think it would be a good thing for my career, as well as from a general interest standpoint.

I've got a Masters in C.S., so I'm no slouch when it comes to algorithms, but I haven't really had much exposure to cryptography at my job / in my studies - I'm wondering if we have any cryptography coders/experts who frequent these forums.

If so, how did you learn the basics for cryptography - the different algorithms, the public/private key sharing, etc?

Can you recommend any required reading materials or tutorials to help me learn about this?

Thanks!

-Matt

 

[PottedMeat]

Is this supposed to be one of the better crypto books?

Applied Cryptography - Bruce Schneier

 

[mattlear]

Thanks!

The reviews on Amazon certainly look promising for this book.

I did take a trusted systems class in graduate school and always planned on reading up on cryptography to better understand how it works.

I'll check this book out - it can't hurt!

Any other suggestions?

 

[Atheus]

The Code Book - Simon Singh.

It's a history of cryptography from substitution cyphers in ancient Rome, to Turing and the Enigma machine in 1940s Britain, to public keys on the modern internet. Excellent stuff, especially the earlier cyphers you can crack on paper.

 

[itachi]

if you want to learn about the kinds of cryptographic algorithms (symmetric/asymmetric), public key cryptography, and things of that nature.. get schneier's book.

if you want to learn about the fundamental concepts of cryptography (zero-knowledge proof systems, pseudo-random number generators, computationally difficult algorithms, etc...), look at foundations of cryptography by oded goldreich.