Crypto Dictionary

Crypto Dictionary

500 Tasty Tidbits for the Curious Cryptographer

About the Book

Crypto Dictionary is your full reference resource for all things cryptography.

Cryptography from A5/0 to ZRTP
 
Expand your mind—and your crypto knowledge—with the ultimate desktop dictionary for all things cryptography. Written by a globally recognized cryptographer for fellow experts and novices to the field alike, Crypto Dictionary is rigorous in its definitions, yet easy to read and laced with humor. You’ll find:
 
  • A survey of crypto algorithms both widespread and niche, from RSA and DES to the USSR’s GOST cipher
  • Trivia from the history of cryptography, such as the MINERVA backdoor in Crypto AG’s encryption algorithms, which may have let the US read the secret communications of foreign governments
  • An explanation of why the reference to the Blowfish cipher in the TV show 24 makes absolutely no sense
  • Discussions of numerous cryptographic attacks, like the slide attack and biclique attack (and the meaning of a crypto “attack”)
  • Types of cryptographic proofs, such as zero-knowledge proofs of spacetime
  • A polemic against referring to cryptocurrency as “crypto”
  • A look toward the future of cryptography, with discussions of the threat of quantum computing poses to our current cryptosystems and a nod to post-quantum algorithms, such as lattice-based cryptographic schemes
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    Or, flip to any random page and learn something new, interesting, and mind-boggling for fun. Organized alphabetically, with hundreds of incisive entries and illustrations at your fingertips, Crypto Dictionary is the crypto world go-to guide that you’ll always want within reach.
     
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    Praise for Crypto Dictionary

    "Aumasson includes his own observations and editorial comments in the entries, which makes for a more interesting read than most dictionaries. . . . Readers also can use the dictionary for a crash course in the field and assemble a reading list of important texts."
    —Veronica Combs, Tech Republic

    "An opinionated mix of witty definitions, mentions of niche cryptographic constructions and obscure algorithms, historical curiosities, and cryptography nerd jokes . . . As written in its introduction, Crypto Dictionary is meant to be an entertaining read, so that 'any reader can open the book at a random page and discover a yet unknown notion, excavate an obscure concept, or read an anecdote about a familiar term.', and it perfectly fulfils this role."
    —Julien Voisin, Dustri.org

    "In terms of usefulness, I think Crypto Dictionary has definitely earned its place on my bookshelf next to Serious Cryptography. I can confidently say that I will be coming back to Crypto Dictionary over time as a starting point for researching 'new-to-me' concepts in cryptography. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a general interest in cryptography or needing a basic guide to ‘translate’ crypto jargon to English."
    —Craig Young, Principal Security Researcher, Tripwire
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    About the Author

    Jean-Philippe Aumasson
    Decorative Carat

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