"Advanced Encryption Standard: Algorithm and Applications"
"Advanced Encryption Standard: Algorithm and Applications" offers a comprehensive and authoritative exploration of the AES cipher, tracing its evolution from the early days of block cipher design through to its current status as the world's leading standard in symmetric encryption. Beginning with the historical context and cryptographic fundamentals, the book expertly guides readers through the mathematical underpinnings and security models that have shaped modern cryptography. With detailed treatments of finite fields, algebraic structures, and the mechanics of diffusion and confusion, it lays a strong foundation for understanding the intricate design principles of AES and the critical criteria used to evaluate its security.
Delving deeply into the specification of the AES algorithm, the text provides step-by-step walkthroughs of the Rijndael cipher, elucidates the key expansion process for varying security levels, and analyzes each transformation that occurs within an encryption round. It further bridges theory with engineering, examining implementation techniques across both software and hardware domains while highlighting essential protection mechanisms against side-channel and fault attacks. The dedicated sections on modes of operation, including GCM and AEAD, arm practitioners with the knowledge to select and deploy AES securely across a spectrum of real-world applications, such as TLS, IPsec, disk encryption, cloud computing, and embedded systems.
Beyond its practical engineering focus, the book rigorously addresses the forefront of AES research, surveying advanced cryptanalytic results, emerging quantum threats, and the integration of AES within hybrid and post-quantum frameworks. It investigates lightweight and white-box variants, multiparty computation, and the expanding role of AES in blockchain and privacy-preserving technologies. Complete with extensive reference resources—including NIST standards, test frameworks, and an exhaustive glossary—this volume stands as a crucial resource for cryptographers, engineers, and security professionals seeking both a foundational and forward-looking mastery of the Advanced Encryption Standard.