The first part of this book covers the key concepts of cryptography on
an undergraduate level, from encryption and digital signatures to
cryptographic protocols. Essential techniques are demonstrated in
protocols for key exchange, user identification, electronic elections
and digital cash. In the second part, more advanced topics are
addressed, such as the bit security of one-way functions and
computationally perfect pseudorandom bit generators. The security of
cryptographic schemes is a central topic. Typical examples of provably
secure encryption and signature schemes and their security proofs are
given. Though particular attention is given to the mathematical
foundations, no special background in mathematics is presumed. The
necessary algebra, number theory and probability theory are included in
the appendix. Each chapter closes with a collection of exercises.
In the second edition the authors added a complete description of the
AES, an extended section on cryptographic hash functions, and new
sections on random oracle proofs and public-key encryption schemes that
are provably secure against adaptively-chosen-ciphertext attacks. The
third edition is a further substantive extension, with new topics added,
including: elliptic curve cryptography; Paillier encryption; quantum
cryptography; the new SHA-3 standard for cryptographic hash functions; a
considerably extended section on electronic elections and Internet
voting; mix nets; and zero-knowledge proofs of shuffles.
The book is appropriate for undergraduate and graduate students in
computer science, mathematics, and engineering.
