Serious Cryptography, 2nd Edition

"Fills [the need for an accessible and readable resource on cryptography], taking the reader on a journey through different cryptographic tools and how to use them, as well as the important 'what can go wrong' sections that fill the book. . . Serious Cryptography is an enjoyable introduction to the field, and one that comes highly recommended." 

—Yehuda Lindell, Head of Cryptography at Coinbase

“A properly serious introduction; it describes the essential concepts in a clear and concise prose. It does not aim at vacuous entertainment of the reader, but at imparting knowledge. This is the kind of ‘first book’ that you’d keep referring to because it has the right structure on which one can build a thorough understanding of cryptography.”

—Thomas Pornin, Technical Vice President, NCC Group

“Like having a wise friend explain all of cryptography's mysteries without making your head spin. The book stands out for its practical approach, which provides real-world applications and insights. It is considered mandatory reading for security engineers undergoing onboarding within my team, providing an essential foundation for their professional development.”

—Anastasiia Voitova, Head of security engineering at Cossack Labs

Reviews from the First Edition:

“A superb introduction to modern encryption and cryptography. For those looking to quickly get up to speed on the topics, this makes for an excellent go-to guide.”

—Ben Rothke, RSA Conference

“For those who really want to understand how cryptography works, and who need to use it in practice, I thoroughly recommend Serious Cryptography.”

—Martijn Grooten, Virus Bulletin

“Aumasson successfully ensures that the reader has a strong understanding of cryptography’s core ideas... Serious Cryptography is a must read for anyone wanting to enter cryptographic engineering.”

—Infosecurity Magazine

“Each chapter not only explains concepts and key implementation details, but also highlights possible pitfalls, common mistakes, and finishes with a list of recommended materials.”

—Artificial Truth

“Impressive in its breadth...the state of the art in applied cryptography is distilled here in a mere 282 pages.”

—Federico Lucifredi, The Hub

"For those wanting to go beyond the basics of cryptography in the blockchain, 'Serious Cryptography' by Jean-Philippe Aumasson is an invaluable resource."

—Halborn Security