A Primer on Post-Quantum Cryptography

A Primer on Post-Quantum Cryptography is intended to be the reader’s first book on this important topic. The author presents the essential concepts by choosing a representative sample of useful cryptographic schemes to illustrate the most important design techniques. He includes the historical development and motivation for these schemes. Some of the most relevant possible attacks (using classical algorithms) against these schemes are covered.

Post-quantum cryptography is a very active area, in part due to ongoing standardization initiatives by NIST. A great deal has been written on the topic, but almost everythingiseitherveryhigh-levelsurveyarticlesorresearchpapersthat are only readable by experts.There is almost nothing current in the middle for those new to the material.This book fills that gap.

The book gives detailed descriptions of the most important cryptosystems, along with plenty of examples and mathematical background. The goal is to make this topic accessible to a beginning graduate student or an advanced undergraduate student who is strong in mathematics. The book should also be useful to researchers seeking an introduction to this important and developing area.

Dr. Stinson also authors Cryptography Theory and Practice, fourth edition, (w/Maura Paterson). This book helped establish the undergraduate cryptography course when it was first published. The fifth edition will appear in 2027.