Cryptography Algorithms: A guide to algorithms in blockchain, quantum cryptography, zero-knowledge protocols, and homomorphic encryption

I got this book a few months ago and started reading it with real interest. The world of cryptography is fantastic and this book talks about it in a passionate way, a sign that the author is also enthusiastic about the topic. It starts from the historical dawn of cryptography up to the most modern encryption algorithms and encrypted data search. Each chapter presents a beautiful historical reconstruction of the problems and inventions related to cryptographic algorithms accompanying the reader with very useful illustrations that allow for easy understanding. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to start understanding the world of cryptography or who wants to delve deeper into it. This sector of technology, which has always been kept in the background by ordinary people, will be crucial in the future in a world where more and more information is exchanged in channels whose security must be guaranteed.

I strongly recommend this book. When I read the overview of contents on the cover, I ordered my copy to readup on the latests works :) If you appreciate books like Introduction to Algorithms, Third Edition by Cormen et al. (a de facto for teaching Advanced Algorithm Design) and Cryptography and Network Security by Stalling (a de facto for teaching modern cryptography and information security), you will love this book. These are very well written books…I wanted to build my fundamentals on zero-knowlegde proofs and homomorphic encryption and learn about the crypto search engine. Bertaccini’s ability to take very involved concepts and explain them with such simplicity and clarity make it an excellent book. That is exactly what I expect from an expert.Moreover, the examples are very well selected. In chapter 5 for example, I really like how he explains the protocols, provides numerical examples, and attacks!! This book may be considered as de facto for teaching post-modern cryptography, namely all the new areas, such as Quantum Cryptography, Zero-knowledge Protocols, Blockchain related algorithms, Blind Signatures, and Cryptographic Search Engine. Enjoy!

The book came and I was excited to learn about quantum cryptography considering I'm also reading The Bit and the Pendulum by Tom Siegfried (about quantum mechanics and cryptography). I have other books and personal things I study about cryptography/cryptanalysis, and reading about quantum cryptography caught my eye, and was one of the first things I started reading about when I opened this book.

Ive only read part of the book up to this point because if the author gets this wrong about a simple crypto algorithm then I would not trust anything that he has published or knows.On designing a "New and improved Caesar cipher" he instead makes a invalid crypto algorithm. While you get cipher back it is not a valid encryption/decryption algorithm because for the same key and same input there are many outputs. Even for his example there are 160 possible outputs that are valid decryptions.

Dr. Massimo Bertaccini’s recent book, Cryptography Algorithms, masterfully blends storytelling with a course in Algebraic mathematics to lucidly explain how cryptographic theory and practice have evolved over the past 2,000 years. From the Rosetta Stone’s Egyptian hieroglyphics and Caesar’s cipher, to today’s Quantum-based encryption, Bertaccini’s narrative explains how innovative mathematical theories have enabled society’s greater use of emerging digital technologies, all while offering greater data privacy and protection.The book’s scope of subject matter coverage is broad, with explanations on ground-breaking work by Pierre de Fermat, Jacob Bernoulli, Gilbert Vernam, Claude Shannon, Whitfield Diffie, Marty Hellman, and the Rivest-Shamir-Adelman RSA trio. Bertaccini’s frequent reference to Shannon’s “Principle of Confusion and Diffusion” is insightful, as Shannon’s emphasis on reducing mathematical complexity played a role in development of today’s Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Dr. Bertaccini’s many cryptography patents, and even emerging Quantum-based cryptography.The author’s relaxed and lucid writing style, makes learning the history and evolution of cryptography enjoyable. He carefully weaves mathematical explanations within storylines. Whether it’s retelling the actual tale of Thomas Beale’s cipher book that still protects 1820s buried treasure, or the fictitious Peggy and Victor duo that tries to unlock Ali Baba’s “zero-knowledge” cave, Dr. Bertaccini’s university professor persona ensures his rigorous discussion of algorithmic computations never prevents any reader from learning the key take-aways within each chapter. Whether you’re a cryptography novice or expert, you’re certain to gain a better understanding of, and appreciation for, the evolution of cryptography and the valuable role it plays in protecting our own data as it flow across today’s digitally-connected world.

This book is an excellent introduction to cryptography. It's not just for beginners but also experts in the field.I'm a product manager in Silicon Valley that uses cryptography primitives in my day-to-day job. This book helped me refresh my understanding of what happens under the scenes and stay updated with the latest trend.I loved that each chapter talks about RSA vulnerability; that has been instrumental in upgrading my program in my day job. Also, I love that the book is updated, touching based on the latest trend such as quantum cryptography.

Massimo has written broadly to an audience that can touch both the beginner and those that are experts in this field. He brought to light a lot in depth with his expertise in zero-knowledge protocols and homomorphic encryption! These are fascinating and yet he broke them down in a way understandable for all. Great read and very detailed! Thank you Massimo for continuing to push the limits of today and building a greater, safer tomorrow!

Contains some high-level logic of various cryptographic algorithms and you mostly feel like you're reading a story. I expected the book to be a little bit more technical and to the point. It barely contains math - which is weird considering you're talking about cryptography :)Not recommended for anyone who wants to actually learn more about cryptography.

This book takes into the vast world of cryptography algorithms from surface to deeper levels. The explanations and mathematical analyses are clear and precise.Before reading, it is helpful to open your mind.Cryptography is a panacea for logical reasoning, and the Author has succeeded in making enjoyable this complex subject.I read the last comments on the book and am disappointed about one of them.Trying to give an answer:- in chap. 1, the key 'JULIUSCAESAR' is just an example, not the most secret key ever invented (moreover it is a passphrase). In cryptography, the C (cryptogram) function is injective if {D(c) = D(C(m)) = m}, in other words, different inputs correspond to different outputs.- in chap. 2, the sequence of bit 100110 has been used for bit expansion (specifically, that operation's result is 10101010). 000100 is the concatenation of 000 + 100, but another operation has clearly been applied (at least)- Finally, in opposition to the comment on Beale, the decryption of that part of the Beale Cyphers has only one output.So...that's all.