Cryptography Decrypted

Cryptography Decrypted shows you how to safeguard digital possessions. It is a clear, comprehensible, and practical guide to the essentials of computer cryptography, from Caesar's Cipher through modern-day public key. Cryptographic capabilities like detecting imposters and stopping eavesdropping are thoroughly illustrated with easy-to-understand analogies, visuals, and historical sidebars.

You need little or no background in cryptography to read Cryptography Decrypted. Nor does it require technical or mathematical expertise. But for those with some understanding of the subject, this book is comprehensive enough to solidify knowledge of computer cryptography and challenge those who wish to explore the high-level math appendix.

Divided into four parts, the book explains secret keys and secret key methods like DES, public and private keys, and public key methods like RSA; how keys are distributed through digital certificates; and three real-world systems. Numerous graphics illustrate and clarify common cryptographic terminology throughout.

• Secret key and secret key exchanges
• Public and private keys
• Digital signatures
• Digital certificates, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and PGP
• Hashes and message digests
• Secure e-mail, secure socket layer (SSL), and Internet Protocol Security (IPsec)
• Protecting keys
• Cryptographic attacks
• Authentication, confidentiality, integrity, and nonrepudiation

Foreword: e-Everything
Preface: A Tool for All
Introduction: Welcome to the Front Line
Part I: Secret Key
Introduction
Chapter 1: Locks and Keys
Chapter 2: Substitution & Caesar's Cipher
Chapter 3: Transposition is Moving Around
Chapter 4: Diffuse and Confuse - Cryptographers Win End Game
Chapter 5: DES Isn't Strong Anymore
Chapter 6: Evolution of Cryptography: Going Global
Chapter 7: Secret Key Assurances
Chapter 8: Problems with Secret Key Exchange

Part II: Public Key
Introduction
Chapter 9: Pioneering Public Key: Public Exchange of Secret Keys
Chapter 10: Confidentiality using Public Keys
Chapter 11: Making Public Keys: Math Tricks
Chapter 12: Digital Signatures using the Private Key
Chapter 13: Hashes: Non-keyed Message Digests
Chapter 14: Message Digest Assurances
Chapter 15: Secret Key, Public Key and Message Digests Compared

Part III: Distribution of Public Keys
Introduction
Chapter 16: Digital Certificates
Chapter 17: X.509 & Public Key Infrastructure
Chapter 18: Pretty Good Privacy and the Web of Trust

Part IV: Real World Systems Introduction
Chapter 19: Secure Email
Chapter 20: Secure Socket Layer (& Transport Layer Security)
Chapter 21: IPsec Overview
Chapter 22: Cryptographic Gotchas
Chapter 23: Protecting Your Keys

Appendices
Appendix A: Public Key Mathematics
Appendix B: (A Few) IPsec Details
Bibliography
Index