"MIKE SHAW" wrote on 1999-06-01 15:43 UTC:
> Can anyone recommend some entry level cryptography books?
> I'm looking for something that will just start to get into the
> nitty-gritty of the math involved.
As a first introduction to cryptography and network security,
as well as being technically deep for reference later on, I'd
recommend "Network Security: Private Communication in a Public
World", by Kaufman, Perlman, Speciner. It's very easy to read,
and also witty, and goes deeply into things. For instance, instead
of just describing the math behind RSA, it explains why it works,
intuitively as well as formally, how to implement it efficiently,
the pitfalls you can get into with e=3, etc. It's also particularly
strong in talking about how to use cryptography for building systems,
rather than just the cryptography itself.
-Yassir.
