"Discusses different methods for breaking secret codes"--Provided by publisher.

Ever since humans first began to communicate, we’ve had secrets to keep — secrets of state, war, business, or the heart. From the moment the first secret message was sent, others were busy trying to decipher it. By rearranging, substituting, or transposing symbols, any message can be encoded or decoded — if you know how. Secrets of Making and Breaking Codes is a practical field manual designed to teach you the basic mechanics of enciphering and deciphering communications. The author has used his extensive knowledge of and experience in electronic communications and languages — as well as his decades of fascination with secret codes — to demystify the field of cryptology. Hamilton Nickels uses plain, uncomplicated English and simple, workable systems that rely on neither advanced mathematics, nor on ethereal philosophies. This is the only hands-on guide to both the simplest cipher schemes — that need little more than scratch paper and a pencil to crack — as well as more sophisticated codes that use one-time code books, pocket calculators, and the most advanced computer-based systems used by the military and diplomatic corps of most governments. Letting the wrong eyes see a secret message can often make the difference between victory and defeat, success and failure, life and death. Secrets of Making and Breaking Codes will make mastering codes easier.

This unique book explains the basic issues of classical and modern cryptography, and provides a self contained essential mathematical background in number theory, abstract algebra, and probability--with surveys of relevant parts of complexity theory and other things. A user-friendly, down-to-earth tone presents concretely motivated introductions to these topics. More detailed chapter topics include simple ciphers; applying ideas from probability; substitutions, transpositions, permutations; modern symmetric ciphers; the integers; prime numbers; powers and roots modulo primes; powers and roots for composite moduli; weakly multiplicative functions; quadratic symbols, quadratic reciprocity; pseudoprimes; groups; sketches of protocols; rings, fields, polynomials; cyclotomic polynomials, primitive roots; pseudo-random number generators; proofs concerning pseudoprimality; factorization attacks finite fields; and elliptic curves. For personnel in computer security, system administration, and information systems.

"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

Explains various methods used in cryptography and presents examples to help readers in breaking secret codes

Covert communications have won or lost wars, exposed political intrigue, disguised secret religions and societies, and secured financial transactions. This immensely readable world history of clandestine communication—finally in paperback—includes illustrations, diagrams, and puzzles that instruct readers how to become amateur cryptographers. It’s the last word on secret languages!