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| mosher | Jul 6 2009, 07:42 PM |
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I highly second what both jdege and osric have written. I've been enamored by the subject of cryptanalysis since I was 15 back in the early 70's. What I'm about to write is a summary of my own experiences in this fascinating field. I would divide the literature into two groups: the history of cryptology, and the art of cryptanalysis. I've always found that the history and stories of cryptology wonderfully complement the technique and art of cryptanalysis. If you want to understand the how and why of cryptology, here are some excellent books: o The Codebreakers (David Kahn) This is THE book that got me started. Already as a teenager I had read the book cover-to-cover numerous times, penciled in my own notes, and savored the copious references in the back. If you want to live the ancient and modern history of cryptology and cryptanalysis, there's no better text. Written in 1967 it might seem a bit dated (it was updated a bit in the 90's) but the text, stories, anecdotes, and cryptanalytic techniques of classical cryptography explained within are timeless. Most highly recommended. Be sure to read the full version, not the abridged paperback. o Battle of Wits (Stephen Budiansky) An excellent exposition of World War II cryptology. You'll feel you "were there" and will learn real-life cryptanalysis along the way. Budiansky has a talent for including lots of technical details for cryptanalysts. o The Story of Magic (Frank B. Rowlett) The memoirs of Frank B. Rowlett, the first cryptanalyst recruited by William F. Friedman in 1930. Rowlett was later to be the driving force behind the United States's breaking of the Japanese PURPLE diplomatic cipher. A fascinating and illuminating story of his personal experiences, it breaks off abruptly in about 1944. Nonetheless, you'll get a clear picture of real-life cryptanalysis told by a master. o The Code Book (Simon Singh) As mentioned by osric, this is a good book that has new material to add. o The American Black Chamber (Herbert O. Yardley) Yardley was a master storyteller, and nowhere is it more evident than in this classic expose of his creating and leading the American Black Chamber. Within the captivating stories you can find descriptions of cryptanalytic techniques. In the art of cryptanalysis there are elementary and more advanced texts: Elementary Cryptanalysis o Cryptanalysis (Helen F. Gaines) As jdege mentioned, this is a classic text, tackling the bread-and-butter of cryptanalysis. It doesn't have a direct bearing on techniques you need for tackling Chaocipher, but a well-rounded knowledge of cryptanalysis can only help when working on any cipher. o Elementary Cryptanalysis (Abraham Sinkov) Abraham Sinkov was another of Friedman's original hirees in 1930. This book is a clean, precise, and mathematically oriented introduction to cryptanalysis. It explains both statistical and algebraic methods of cryptanalysis. An excellent text. o American Cryptogram Association (ACA) I joined as a teenager and have enjoyed every moment of my membership. Its bi-monthly magazine, "The Cryptogram", contains both challenge ciphers (taken from a set number of cryptographic systems) and interesting article written by members (an example, as mentioned before, is jdege's article in the latest issue). The ACA recently sent all members its second edition of all issues of "The Cryptogram" from 1932-2008, all on CD and searchable. This alone is worth the membership, but you'll be glad you joined in any case. o The Elements of Cryptanalysis (William F. Friedman) Solid basis for the rudiments of cryptanalysis, written in Friedman's usual clear fashion. o LEDGE, "NOVICE NOTES," American Cryptogram Association, 1994. Clear explanations for solving ACA standard cipher types. Can be bought through the ACA. Advanced Cryptanalysis o Cryptologia (An International Journal Devoted to Cryptology) This is the academic side of cryptanalysis, with articles ranging from practical, down-to-earth techniques to more abstract and esoteric topics (osric himself has published an article in Cryptologia entitled "Breaking Short Playfair Ciphers with the Simulated Annealing Algorithm", Vol. 32, Issue 1, 2008). A must for the serious cryptanalyst. The problem is that buying all issues from 1977 can be highly costly. Several books with collected articles have been published and these are very good. You can search for and buy reprints of articles (http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t725304178~link=cover). o Decrypted Secrets (F. L. Bauer) Provides lots of mathematical underpinnings for many various cryptosystems. A good read for the advanced cryptanalyst. o Machine Cryptography and Modern Cryptanalysis (Cipher Deavours and Louis Kruh) Invaluable articles on classic machine ciphers, their history, and plenty of hands-on techniques for breaking them. This starts to come closer to techniques needed to work on Chaocipher. Just beware the numerous errors in the book: wrong chapter names, incorrect examples in places, poor index, and more. The invaluable content, however, lets the ecstasy exceed the agony. o The Riverbank Publications (William F. Friedman) Although somewhat dated, Friedman's clear style of writing and thinking makes this an excellent series on which to learn what it means to be a cryptanalyst. o CLASSICAL CRYPTOGRAPHY COURSE BY LANAKI I would highly recommend you read through, and do, LANAKI's course. You will encounter practically every topic in classical cryptography there is to meet. Can be accessed online at: http://www.math.utoledo.edu/~codentha/Cryptanalysis/lanaki/ o Military Cryptanalysis (William F. Friedman) A top-notch four-volume series, you can find it today on the NSA declassification site (http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/declass/military_cryptanalysis.shtml). As jdege mentioned, Military Cryptanalytics, a joint collaboration of Friedman and Lambros D. Callimahos, is an updated and revised version of "Military Cryptanalysis" which the world awaits for further declassification. Aegean Park Press is a good source of cryptographic, including many mentioned above. You would do well to read tutorials written by jdege and others published both on this site (here's a partial list) and around the internet (e.g., jdege's postings on this site). They are clear, to the point, and downright educational. If I had to recommend a short list of books, I'd pick the following:
As soon as you've digested these, seriously consider the other titles. Good luck! Moshe Edited by mosher, Jul 7 2009, 02:31 AM.
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| Books · Chaocipher | |
6:29 AM Nov 28
