Book details of 'RSA and Public-Key Cryptography'

Title	RSA and Public-Key Cryptography
Author(s)	Richard A. Mollin
ISBN	1584883383
Language	English
Published	November 2002
Publisher	Chapman & Hall/CRC

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The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'RSA and Public-Key Cryptography':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
This book is written as the text for a course. Rather than an introduction course in cryptography, the preface recommends that it be used for a second, and assumes that the students will have a background in number theory. Chapter one provides a little history and some basic cryptographic concepts. The emphasis is on symmetric algorithms, and most are expressed in formal mathematical style. Unfortunately, a number of the text explanations of the formulae are not very good, and this weakness continues throughout the work. The practice questions (which are distributed within the chapter after particular sections, rather than being collected at the end) are sometimes surprisingly simplistic, as in the case of multiple examples of "decrypting" ROT 13. (Solutions to odd-numbered questions are provided at the end of the book.) The purpose or intention behind cryptographic work is examined in chapter two, and discreet logarithms and the Diffie- Hellman work is introduced. More asymmetric concepts, including RSA and others (and pointers to the Communications Electronics Security Group [CESG] papers that pre-date the Diffie-Hellman publication) are provided in chapter three. Chapter four looks at statistical methods used to test for relative primality (important in choosing strong RSA keys). Factoring processes (which might be important in attacking RSA) are in chapter five. Chapter six reviews both implementation factors as well as the algorithm in assessing the strength of RSA. Various aspects of authentication, including the oddly oxymoronic anonymous authentication that is important to systems for digital cash, are outlined in chapter seven. Key management is discussed in chapter eight. Chapter nine looks at some practical applications, and analyses weaknesses of current procedures and requirements for secure systems. While the material is sound, and a good deal of interesting and important information is included, this book could have been written more clearly for the intended audience. In addition, while some of the content has more immediate practical application, somehow this work does not have the feeling of centrality to the topic that is found in "Algebraic Aspects of Cryptography" by Neal Koblitz (see reviews). copyright Robert M. Slade, 2003
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Book description:

Although a vast literature exists on the subject of RSA and public-key cryptography, until now there has been no single source that reveals recent developments in the area at an accessible level. Acclaimed author Richard A. Mollin brings together all of the relevant information available on public-key cryptography (PKC), from RSA to the latest applications of PKC, including electronic cash, secret broadcasting, secret balloting systems, various banking and payment protocols, high security logins, smart cards, and biometrics. Moreover, he covers public-key infrastructure (PKI) and its various security applications.Throughout the book, Mollin gives a human face to cryptography by including nearly 40 biographies of the individuals who helped develop cryptographic concepts. He includes a number of illustrative and motivating examples, as well as optional topics that go beyond the basics, such as Lenstra's elliptic curve method and the number field sieve. From history and basic concepts to future trends and emerging applications, this book provides a rigorous and detailed treatment of public-key cryptography. Accessible to anyone from the senior undergraduate to the research scientist, RSA and Public-Key Cryptography offers challenging and inspirational material for all readers.