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Contemporary Cryptography (Artech House Computer Security503) Review by John R. Vacca
CRYPTOGRAPY: THE GREAT ENABLER
Cryptography has become an enabling technology to secure the information infrastructures that are being built, using, and counting on in daily life. Author Rolf Oppliger has done an outstanding job of writing this book in a comprehensive and tutorial nature.
Oppliger begins this book by introducing contemporary cryptography at a high level of abstraction. Next, the author briefly introduces and provides some preliminary definitions for the most important representatives of these classes. In addition, the author discusses the aspects of discrete mathematics that are relevant for contemporary cryptography. He also introduces and presents an overview of the basic principles of probability theory as far as they are relevant for information theory and contemporary cryptography. Then, he continues with a brief discussion of the basic principles and results of information theory. The author then discusses the fundamentals and results for complexity theory. Next, he elaborates on one-way functions; cryptographic hash functions; random bit generators; symmetric encryption systems; MACs and systems to compute and verify MACs; and, pseudorandom bit generators (PRBGs). Next, he thoroughly introduces pseudorandom functions, and discusses the constructions on the random oracle model. The author then elaborates on symmetric encryption systems; digital signatures and DSSs; cryptographic protocols that two entities can use to establish a shared secret key; and, entity authentication in general, and authentication protocols that implement a proof by knowledge in particular. Next, he addresses secure multiparty computation (MPC). Then, he elaborates on the key management process. The author then discusses and puts into perspective many cryptographic systems in use today. Finally, he looks at the future of contemporary cryptography.
With the preceding in mind, the author has done an excellent job of showing you how to implement and market some of the cryptographic techniques or systems addressed in this book. Nevertheless, the author cautions the reader that "you must be very cautious and note that the entire field of cryptography is tied up in patents and corresponding patent claims. Consequently, you must make sure that you have an appropriate license or a good lawyer or both."