Cryptography and Public Key Infrastructure on the Internet

Cryptography and Public Key Infrastructure on the Internet provides a thorough overview of the subject. It explains how susceptible networks are to hacking and how cryptography can help. This comprehensive and practical guide covers:

• Public Key Infrastructures (PKIs); important when using cryptography in a large organisation,
• the difference between the SSL protocol and the IPSec standard,
• integration of cryptography into the different OSI-layers, and how to decide whether hardware or software solutions are the right means to achieve this.

The book also includes sections on:

• standardisation
• authentication
• elliptic curve cryptography
• chip cards
• algorithm modes and protocols - including SSL, TLS, IPSec, SMIME and PGP protocols
• cryptography's connection with biometry (using biological characteristics for authentication purposes).

Cryptography and Public Key Infrastructure on the Internet is an indispensable guide for all levels of reader. It contains valuable reference material about statutes and standards affecting encryption, which companies are active in the market, and a reference guide to people, organisations, books and websites to go to for further information.

Contents

• Introduction
• What is cryptography and why is it so important?
• How it it possible to eavesdrop on the Internet?

• Symmetrical encryption
• Modern symmetrical encryption algorithms
• Asymmetrical encryption
• Digital signatures
• Cryptographic hash functions
• Cryptographic random generators

• Standardisation in cryptography
• Block cipher modes of operation and data preparation for asymmetrical algorithms
• Cryptographic protocols
• Authentication
• Crypto-systems based of elliptic curves
• Implementation of cryptography

• Public Key infrastructures
• How a PKI works
• Digital certificates
• Certificate servers
• Practical aspects of the PKI construction

• The Internet and the OSI model
• Crypto standards for the OSI Layers 1 and 2
• IPSec (layer 3)
• SSL, TLS and WTLS (layer 4)
• Crypto standards for the World Wide Web (layer 7)
• E-mail encryption standards (layer 7)
• Internet payment systems(Layer 7)
• Further application layer protocols

• Political aspects of cryptology
• People who play a role in cryptography
• Where to find out more about cryptography
• The last chapter