Top 10 Must-Read Cryptography Books for Beginners

Cryptography gained popularity in the modern technological landscape after the introduction of cryptocurrencies that used cryptography to offer enhanced security. You can find the oldest instances of cryptography in wars where cryptographic messages determined the difference between victory and defeat. In the modern world, cryptography is all about secure communication techniques and methods for safeguarding interactions between people. The best cryptography books can help you learn about cryptographic principles and advanced techniques.

As a beginner, you need to take small steps and choose the ideal books that can introduce you to cryptography. Let us find more about the top books that can help beginners learn about cryptography.

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Identifying the Best Books to Help You Learn Cryptography

Cryptography is more than just an advanced concept in the domain of technology as it plays a major role in ensuring security. You can notice how messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram use encryption to ensure that third parties cannot read or intercept private messages between two people. Cryptography can help in safeguarding data from unauthorized access. It is also important to know that you can use cryptography along with other security methods such as passwords and other authentication systems. The following books can help you find an ideal introduction to cryptography and learn the important concepts.

Introduction to Modern Cryptography 

Authors Jonathan Katz and Yehuda Lindell bring you one of the notable cryptography books for beginners with the Introduction to Modern Cryptography. It offers an in-depth description of cryptography principles alongside modern cryptography techniques. The ‘Introduction to Modern Cryptography’ book is ideal for students and professionals who want to learn about cryptography and its mathematical foundations.

The book offers insights on practical uses of modern cryptography along with comprehensive description of cryptographic techniques. Some of the notable topics in the book include encryption, secure protocols and digital signatures. You can also find insights on many other concepts in cryptography to understand the fundamentals of data protection and secure communication.

Cryptography Made Simple 

The next addition among books that can help you learn the fundamentals of cryptography is ‘Cryptography Made Simple’ by Nigel Smart. It is one of the top books to learn the important concepts in cryptography. The contemporary approach towards cryptography in the book helps in understanding the actual definition of security in different scenarios. The book can be an ideal pick to learn cryptography for students as well as information security professionals. 

The book provides a summary of important fundamental algebra concepts and notes in the appendix for beginners. You can have a better learning experience with ‘Cryptography Made Simple’ with prior knowledge of probability, elementary calculus and discrete mathematics.

Handbook of Applied Cryptography 

The most interesting entry in a list of top cryptography books for new learners is ‘Handbook of Applied Cryptography’. It is a trusted source of information about the introductory concepts of cryptography. You can find insights on different types of topics in the book to acquire knowledge on cryptography fundamentals. The book includes lessons on number theory, coding theory and algebra to help you strengthen mathematical foundations for learning cryptography.

The ‘Handbook of Applied Cryptography’ also includes lessons on modern cryptographic techniques and classical cryptography systems. It can help beginners as well as researchers and practitioners in the domain of cryptography. The book has gained popularity as the preferred textbook for graduate-level cryptography courses. 

Serious Cryptography 

Even if the name may look professional, ‘Serious Cryptography’ is a reliable book for beginners to learn cryptography fundamentals. The author JP Aumasson has tailored the book as a comprehensive introduction to modern encryption. It is one of the books to learn cryptography that offers practical training with references to real-world case studies. The book covers important mathematical concepts alongside notable topics in cryptography such as ciphers, block ciphers, secure encryption, public-key encryption and hash functions.

The most important highlight of the book is the comprehensive discussion on strengths, setbacks and potential limitations of cryptography techniques. It can provide crucial insights on best practices to implement cryptographic protocols. The book serves useful lessons on selecting the right cryptographic protocol and algorithm according to your requirements.

Cryptography 

Another prominent addition to cryptography books you should read right now is ‘Cryptography- A Very Short Introduction’. The book is a comprehensive guide on the impact of cryptography on modern society. It helps you learn about important cryptographic algorithms and their applications alongside the risks that come with the algorithms. The book also sheds light on the reasons for which governments are worried about adoption of cryptographic algorithms.

The list of topics covered in the ‘Cryptography- A Very Short Introduction’ book also provides a clear impression of its effectiveness for beginners. You can learn about block ciphers, stream ciphers, digital signatures and public key algorithms in the book. On top of it, learners can also discover examples of practical applications of cryptography in ecommerce. The book also covers the impact of cryptography on the internet user experience and transformation of banking methods. 

Cryptography for Kids 

You should not think of a list of most popular cryptography books for newcomers without ‘Cryptography for Kids’ by Jennifer Brady. As the name implies, the book tries to introduce the concepts of cryptography to children. The engaging and interactive approach for teaching cryptography is one of the most appealing aspects of the book. You can learn cryptography fundamentals in the book through puzzles and hands-on activities.

The unique design of lessons in the book help you learn about encryption and decryption, historical ciphers and secret codes. The book has been created to help anyone learn cryptography without any technical expertise. Irrespective of your mathematical knowledge, you can use the book to learn cryptography in an interactive manner. 

Understanding Cryptography 

Learners can also pick books like ‘Understanding Cryptography’ by Christof Paar and Jan Pelzl to familiarize with cryptography concepts. It is one of the advanced books on cryptography that offer an in-depth introduction to cryptography concepts. You can learn about topics like secure key exchange, symmetric and asymmetric encryption and cryptographic protocols. The book also covers advanced concepts such as techniques for implementing cryptographic systems and side-channel attacks.

The ‘Understanding Cryptography’ book is a trusted pick for computer science and engineering students. Even professional practitioners can use the book to enhance their expertise in implementation of cryptographic protocols. The authors have paid special attention to communicating the essential concepts of cryptography while sizing down on mathematical content. It also includes recent topics such as lightweight ciphers for mobile devices and RFIDs used for cryptography. 

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Encyclopedia of Cryptography and Security 

The collection of notable cryptography books that you should read now must also include the ‘Encyclopedia of Cryptography and Security’. It is a comprehensive book on cryptography fundamentals that can serve as the ideal reference for new learners. Anyone who wants to learn about cryptography can use the book to uncover comprehensive explanations of mathematical concepts, cryptographic techniques and security protocols.

The book also offers insights on practical cryptography applications in different areas such as secure communications, computer networks and ecommerce. It is a useful learning resource for students, researchers and practitioners in the domain of information security.       

The Science of Secrecy

Beginners must also explore interesting books to learn cryptography history like ‘The Science of Secrecy’ by Simon Singh. The book provides an engaging introduction to the history of cryptography alongside highlighting the significance of secure communication. You can find lessons on ancient ciphers as well as modern encryption techniques in the book.

The book is an ideal choice for people who want to learn the history of encryption and secret codes. You can learn how secrecy has played a major role in shaping historical events. On top of it, the book also provides insights on the role of cryptography in building the foundations of technology. 

Foundations of Cryptography 

The final addition among the top ten books for learning cryptography is ‘Foundations of Cryptography’ by Oded Goldreich. It is a useful choice to find a comprehensive introduction to theoretical concepts in cryptography. The important concepts in the book include secure protocols, encryption and digital signatures. Learners can also find lessons on the mathematical principles underlying the important cryptography concepts.

The ‘Foundations of Cryptography’ book is useful for computer science professionals and students who want a detailed understanding of cryptography. Security professionals can use the book to improve their understanding of cryptographic principles. Most important of all, it offers a helpful resource for anyone who wants to understand the mathematical foundations of modern cryptographic systems. 

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Final Thoughts 

The outline of top cryptography books presented here offers some of the best alternatives to learn cryptography. You can rely on different online resources to hone your understanding of cryptography alongside enhancing your skills. However, books are the most trusted solutions to acquire fundamental knowledge of cryptography and implement cryptographic systems. Learners can find different types of books with distinctive approaches to help them familiarize with cryptography. Browse through the details of the notable cryptography books and start your journey of learning right now.

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