ATUAN

Introduction to Cryptography

Introduction to Cryptography
By Johannes Buchmann

Publisher: Springer
Number Of Pages: 296
Publication Date: 2000-12-21
ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0387950346
ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780387950341
Binding: Hardcover

Cryptography is a key technology in electronic key systems. It is used to keep data secret, digitally sign documents, access control, etc. Therefore, users should not only know how its techniques work, but they must also be able to estimate their efficiency and security. Based on courses taught at Technical University in Darmstadt, Germany, this book explains the basic methods of modern cryptography. It is written for readers with only basic mathematical knowledge that are interested in modern cryptographic algorithms and their mathematical foundation. Several exercises are included following each chapter.

Johannes A. Buchmann is a Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics at the Technical University of Darmstadt, and the Associate Editor of the Journal of Cryptology. In 1985, he received the Feodor Lynen Fellowship of the Alexander vonHumboldt Foundation. Furthermore, he has received the most prestigious award in science in Germany, the Leibniz Award of the German Science Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG).

Summary: Worst cryptography book I’ve ever seen
Rating: 1

This book is horrible.
The text is ugly, some definitions are strange (for example, the author defines O-notation for complexity in a totally non-standard and non-intuitive way) and the reading the book is a pain.

Please use another Cryptography book. Good examples are Mao’s Modern Cryptography: Theory and Practice) and Stinson’s Cryptography: Theory and Practice for example. There are also the Handbook of Applied Cryptography and Foundations of Cryptography, volumes one and two.

Summary: Do not adopt this book as your textbook
Rating: 1

This book should not be adopted as a textbook for a course in cryptography. It demonstrates little to no copy editing. For example, the text switches from English to German within the same sentence. This book contains countless errors which are not even reported in the errata. Further, the book is terse to the point of not supporting the students. It presumes advanced knowledge of algebra which is not explained in the text itself. This is true when it discusses irreducible polynomials, polynomial division, and its very terse segment on Galois Theory in an early chapter.

I adopted this text for my course based in part on prior Amazon recommendations and the general reputation of the Springer UTM series. Please, do not adopt this book as a textbook unless and until Springer performs a major rewrite. My students impressions of this textbook were confirmed not only by myself, but by one of my colleagues in the department as well. This experience with this book was in a 600 level graduate course populated by both mathematics graduate students and computer science graduate students. All students are profoundly unhappy with this text.

Summary: Good but Brief Book
Rating: 4

Buchmann’s text provides an excellect introduction to cryptography for those who are comfortable with mathematical rigour, and have some knowledge of number theory. Buchmann does provide a review for each of the number theoretic concepts he introduces throughout the text. However, one who is unfamiliar with number theory and not comfortable with learning by proofs might get lost. The other problem with the text is its brevity. This might be suitable for a class on cryptograpy, but it proves quite detremental to self-study. The brevity is especially problematic in the section dealing with Elliptic Curve Crypto (3 and 1/2 pages) Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is comfortable with rigour, and doesn’t mind brevity.

Summary: Good Book
Rating: 5

Very readable. If you are new to crypto,
this is the book for you.
Very well written.

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Tagged as: Cryptography