The Bottom Line
- Cutting edge look at new threats on the malware horizon
- Informative without being boring
- Appendices provide basics of viruses and PKI
- Solid understanding of cryptography and malware needed
Description
- Opening chapter provides engaging fictional look at the potential impact of malicious cryptography
- Basics of viruses and PKI are provided in appendices, but this book is not for beginners
- Cutting edge information on how cryptography might impact malware development
Guide Review - Book Review: Malicious Cryptography
A much smaller subset of people is familiar with cryptography. Some users may be aware that encryption is an option or they may have heard that they should encrypt their data or protect their email communications with encryption, but they don't "understand" cryptography. Those people probably shouldn't bother trying to read this book.
Those who do understand cryptography- who know what MD5, Blowfish, RSA or 3DES mean and how they work- should probably read this book. Being on an intermediate level in cryptography myself I found some of the concepts and details required me to do some extra digging and research to understand, but I found the book to be informative and intriguing.
The book seems to waiver in search of an audience- at times covering the information at a higher level that many network and security administrators can grasp and at other times delving into detail that only true cryptographers will follow- but the authors combine information about malware and cryptography in a way that experts from each can comprehend.
Overall, this is a good book that I recommend- but not for beginners.
