Serious Cryptography

Jean-Philippe Aumasson's practical guide explains the mathematical ideas behind modern encryption without avoiding the detail of how they work. Topics include hash functions, block ciphers, secure randomness and authenticated encryption, along with public-key methods such as elliptic curve cryptography and RSA. Aumasson also covers core concepts like attacker models, forward secrecy and computational security, the strengths and limits of the TLS protocol behind secure HTTPS websites, and quantum computing and post-quantum cryptography. Every chapter discusses common implementation mistakes through real-world examples, showing what can go wrong and how to avoid it, while code samples illustrate a range of vulnerabilities. It is meant for experienced practitioners and newcomers to the field alike.

In an interview, PentesterLab founder Louis Nyffenegger listed it among the books on his bedside table.