Public and private key cryptography is often the last and only real line of defense between your corporate data and the wily hacker. Unfortunately, cryptography's true usefulness remains for many as enigmatic as the mathematical equations upon which it is based. To assist those of you considering either private or public key encryption as a means to secure your network infrastructure, facilitate legitimate e-commerce, or simply keep prying eyes at bay, we've put together a pair of Network Design Manual chapters that will put cryptography into perspective.
For an excellent introduction to both private and public key cryptography, you'll find Glen Bruce and Rob Dempsey's chapter on Cryptography, from their book "Security in Distributed Computing: Did You Lock the Door?" most useful.
But for a more in-depth discussion of public and private key security algorithms, complete with equations, we suggest Ari Luotonen's chapter on Encryption and Authentication Security, from his book, "Web Proxy Servers."
When you've finished with your reading, don't forget to fill out our cryptography quiz, where we'll test the very limits of your public and private key IQ. Those with the top scores will qualify for a giveaway of the books used in creation of this month's Network Design Manual, compliments of Prentice Hall Professional Technical Reference.
Web Proxy Servers, 1/e by Ari Luotonen, Netscape Communications, Inc. Published December, 1997 by Prentice Hall Professional Technical Reference Copyright 1998, 448 pp. ISBN 0-13-680612-0
Security In Distributed Computing: Did You Lock the Door?, 1/e by Glen Bruce, Rob Dempsey. Published October, 1996 by Prentice Hall Professional Technical Reference. Copyright 1997, 464 pp. ISBN 0-13-182908-4
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