[Cryptography] Review of Handbook of Applied Cryptography by Menezes et al

[Dave Horsfall]

Alfred J.Menezes, Paul C van Orschot, Scott A. Vanstone

My honest opinion is that it's quite heavy going, so I didn't read every 
page.  Good knowledge of Mathematics is required; I did it at an Advanced 
level at University, and I had trouble.

Extremely rigourous, more so than Schneier.  No sources available, but 
plenty of algorithms provided.  A list of Errata is available on the Web, 
but it in turn contains errors (some of the text being corrected is not in 
the book).

Contents in brief (errors here are mine):

Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Foreword by R.Rivest
Preface
Overview of Cryptography
Mathematical Background
Number-Theoretic Reference Problems
Public-Key Parameters
Pseudorandom bits and Sequences
Stream Ciphers
Block Ciphers
Public-Key Encryption
Hash Functions and Data Integrity
Identification and Entity Authentication
Digital Signatures
Key Establishment Protocols
Key Management Techniques
Efficient Implementation
Patents and Standards from Selected Cryptograhic Forums
References
Index

Mentions classic ciphers such as Vernam, Enigma, Purple etc, but no ROT-13 
:-)  And I kinda miss Alice and Bob; they are A and B etc.  A typical 
chapter would go: Contents in Brief, Introduction, and is sprinkled with 
Definitions, Notes, Examples, Remarks, Facts, and Notes and Further 
References at the end of each chapter.

If it reads like a University textbook then it could be used by anyone 
with a *serious* crypto interest.  Bit dry in parts (and at least Schneier 
injected some fun every now and then).  Would I recommend it to anyone on 
this list?  Sure, if don't mind the dry parts and can understand the 
Maths...

-- Dave, with four more crypto books to ago