Security Smarts for the Self-Guided IT Professional New in the Secure Beginner's Guide series, this complete, practical resource for security and IT professionals presents the underpinnings of cryptography and features examples of how security is improved industry-wide by encryption techniques. Cryptography: A Beginner's Guideprovides you with an actionable, rock-solid foundation in encryption and will demystify even a few of the more challenging concepts in the field. From high-level topics such as ciphers, algorithms and key exchange, to practical applications such as digital signatures and certificates, the book delivers working tools to data storage architects, security mangers, and others security practitioners who need to possess a thorough understanding of cryptography. True to the hallmarks of all Secure Beginner's Guides, the book imparts the hard-learned lessons and experiences of knowledgeable professionals in security, providing know-how that otherwise takes years to learn. You're led through the Why and How of cryptography, the history of the science, the components of cryptography and how it is applied to various areas in the field of security. Challenging crypto puzzles in every chapter Ready-to-implement cryptographic techniques explained Lingo-Common security terms defined so that you're in the know on the job IMHO-Frank and relevant opinions based on the author's years of industry experience Budget Note-Tips for getting security technologies and processes into your organization's budget In Actual Practice-Exceptions to the rules of security explained in real-world contexts Your Plan-Customizable checklists you can use on the job now Into Action-Tips on how, why, and when to apply new skills and techniques at work