What people recommend, in their own words, with the receipt.
Cryptographer and professor at Johns Hopkins University
5 things
Introduction to Modern CryptographyBook Jonathan Katz and Yehuda Lindell
Introduction to Modern Cryptography by Jonathan Katz and Yehuda Lindell. We use this as a core text at Hopkins. A fantastic mix of practical and theoretical crypto.
His blog's curated page of useful cryptography and security resources, textbooks and blogs
blog.cryptographyengineering.com ↗·2012-01-12
Foundations of CryptographyBook Oded Goldreich
Foundations of Cryptography by Oded Goldreich. This two-book pair is probably the best cryptographic theory textbook. This is a great book to start with if you're looking to understand the formal underpinnings first. But it's not an applied crypto textbook.
His blog's curated page of useful cryptography and security resources, textbooks and blogs
blog.cryptographyengineering.com ↗·2012-01-12
Modern CryptographyBook Wenbo Mao
Modern Cryptography by Wenbo Mao. An excellent introductory crypto textbook, a little bit less dense than the HAC.
His blog's curated page of useful cryptography and security resources, textbooks and blogs
blog.cryptographyengineering.com ↗·2012-01-12
Security EngineeringBook Ross Anderson
Security Engineering by Ross Anderson. If you're designing or analyzing security systems and haven't read this book, you need to do so immediately. Anderson is a cryptographer, security expert and all-around savant.
His blog's curated page of useful cryptography and security resources, textbooks and blogs
blog.cryptographyengineering.com ↗·2012-01-12
The Handbook of Applied CryptographyBook Alfred Menezes, Paul van Oorschot and Scott Vanstone
The Handbook of Applied Cryptography (aka the HAC), by Menezes, van Oorschot and Vanstone. One of the fundamental textbooks in this area. Covers basic theory, symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, and protocols. This is not a quick read, mind you. It's a serious textbook and an excellent reference.
His blog's curated page of useful cryptography and security resources, textbooks and blogs
blog.cryptographyengineering.com ↗·2012-01-12
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