Cryptology

Includes bibliographical references (p. 153-156).

1 Caesar or The beginning is easy
2 Words and worms or Why do it in a simple way, if you can do it in a complicated way?
3 Safety first or A little bit of theory
4 Mac data or A watchdog called authentification
5 The future has already started or Public key cryptography
6 No one knows, With glee I claim, That Rumpelstilskin is my name or How can we stay anonymous?

How can messages be transmitted secretly? How can one guarantee that the message arrives safely in the right hands exactly as it was transmitted? Cryptology, the art and science of 'secret writing', provides ideal methods to solve these problems of data security. Technological advances have stimulated interest in the study of cyptology. Of course, computers can break cryptosystems more efficiently than humans can. Computers allow complex and sophisticated mathematical techniques which achieve a degree of security undreamt of by previous generations. Today the applications of cryptology range from the encryption of television programs sent via satellite, to user authentication of computers, to new forms of electronic payment systems using smart cards. The first half of this book studies and analyzes classical cryptosystems. The second half looks at the exciting new directions of public-key cryptology.