Information security has become a very critical aspect of modern computing systems. With the global acceptance of the Internet, virtually every computer in the world today is connected to every other. While this has created tremendous productivity and unprecedented opportunities in the world we live in, it has also created new risks for the users of these computers. The users, businesses and organisations worldwide have to live with a constant threat from hackers and attackers, who use a variety of techniques and tools in order to break into computer systems, steal information, change data and cause havoc.

It is in this context that Atul Kahate has come up with his second book: Cryptography and Network Security. Atul’s knowledge is not only based on serious study and research but also in hands-on solving of the challenges encountered in real-life situations, dealing with Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and related areas for building and testing cryptography and security in complex software systems. The i-flex Centre of Excellence (COE) for Payment Systems, in Pune, India, has given Atul a suitable environment for his study and research for most of the last two years.

Acquiring and developing knowledge is a great achievement. Sharing it, in a fashion that would help all others understand it, is even better. It is a very tedious, time-consuming and difficult task to explain something that you know, in a useful manner to others. Atul has achieved the same by putting his knowledge in a logical and practical manner, resulting in this comprehensive book on the subject. Atul had earlier co-authored a book on Web Technologies (also published by Tata McGraw-Hill), which attracted very good feedback.

We, at i-flex, are extremely happy and proud of Atul’s achievement of completing this second book on computer technology. I am quite sure that he would author many more books in the future. Apart from the depth of coverage, broad areas of topics discussed, the two features that enable this book to stand out are the lucid language and the illustrative approach. The step-by-step fashion in which Atul has dealt with the complex topics of Cryptography and Security would no doubt help the reader understand all the key concepts with ease. I am quite sure that the book would be of a great help to all students, teachers and IT professionals at various levels.

This also goes on to show that one must not restrict one’s activities to mundane tasks that we usually end up carrying out on any working day. If we put a little more effort and have higher aims, we all can excel in different aspects of our profession (and even outside our professional boundaries).

On behalf of all of us at i-flex solutions, I wish Atul a grand success with this book.

Rajesh Hukku
Chairman and Managing Director
i-flex solutions limited, Pune.