This accessible textbook presents a fascinating review of cryptography and cryptanalysis across history. The text relates the earliest use of the monoalphabetic cipher in the ancient world, the development of the “unbreakable” Vigenère cipher, and an account of how cryptology entered the arsenal of military intelligence during the American Revolutionary War. Moving on to the American Civil War, the book explains how the Union solved the Vigenère ciphers used by the Confederates, before investigating the development of cipher machines throughout World War I and II. This is then followed by an exploration of cryptology in the computer age, from public-key cryptography and web security, to criminal cyber-attacks and cyber-warfare. Looking to the future, the role of cryptography in the Internet of Things is also discussed, along with the potential impact of quantum computing. Topics and features: presents a history of cryptology from ancient Rome to the present day, with a focus on cryptology in the 20th and 21st centuries; reviews the different types of cryptographic algorithms used to create secret messages, and the various methods for breaking such secret messages; provides engaging examples throughout the book illustrating the use of cryptographic algorithms in different historical periods; describes the notable contributions to cryptology of Herbert Yardley, William and Elizebeth Smith Friedman, Lester Hill, Agnes Meyer Driscoll, and Claude Shannon; concludes with a review of tantalizing unsolved mysteries in cryptology, such as the Voynich Manuscript, the Beale Ciphers, and the Kryptos sculpture. This engaging work is ideal as both a primary text for courses on the history of cryptology, and as a supplementary text for advanced undergraduate courses on computer security. No prior background in mathematics is assumed, beyond what would be encountered in an introductory course on discrete mathematics.

The science of cryptology is made up of two halves. Cryptography is the study of how to create secure systems for communications. Cryptanalysis is the study of how to break those systems. The conflict between these two halves of cryptology is the story of secret writing. For over 2,000 years, the desire to communicate securely and secretly has resulted in the creation of numerous and increasingly complicated systems to protect one's messages. Yet for every system there is a cryptanalyst creating a new technique to break that system. With the advent of computers the cryptographer seems to finally have the upper hand. New mathematically based cryptographic algorithms that use computers for encryption and decryption are so secure that brute-force techniques seem to be the only way to break them – so far. This work traces the history of the conflict between cryptographer and cryptanalyst, explores in some depth the algorithms created to protect messages, and suggests where the field is going in the future.

Winner of an Outstanding Academic Title Award from CHOICE MagazineMost available cryptology books primarily focus on either mathematics or history. Breaking this mold, Secret History: The Story of Cryptology gives a thorough yet accessible treatment of both the mathematics and history of cryptology. Requiring minimal mathematical prerequisites, the

Includes "166 cryptograms."

"As gripping as a good thriller." --The Washington Post Unpack the science of secrecy and discover the methods behind cryptography--the encoding and decoding of information--in this clear and easy-to-understand young adult adaptation of the national bestseller that's perfect for this age of WikiLeaks, the Sony hack, and other events that reveal the extent to which our technology is never quite as secure as we want to believe. Coders and codebreakers alike will be fascinated by history's most mesmerizing stories of intrigue and cunning--from Julius Caesar and his Caeser cipher to the Allies' use of the Enigma machine to decode German messages during World War II. Accessible, compelling, and timely, The Code Book is sure to make readers see the past--and the future--in a whole new way. "Singh's power of explaining complex ideas is as dazzling as ever." --The Guardian

As an instructor at the University of Tulsa, Christopher Swenson could find no relevant text for teaching modern cryptanalysis?so he wrote his own. This is the first book that brings the study of cryptanalysis into the 21st century. Swenson provides a foundation in traditional cryptanalysis, examines ciphers based on number theory, explores block ciphers, and teaches the basis of all modern cryptanalysis: linear and differential cryptanalysis. This time-honored weapon of warfare has become a key piece of artillery in the battle for information security.