Computational Number Theory (LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY STUDENTS TEXTS)

The security of the 'public-key' cryptography methods developed in recent years depends on the difficulty of solving certain computational problems in number theory: especially the classical problem of factorising large numbers. This book aims to develop the mathematical background to such methods, the technical prerequisites have been kept to a minimum (essentially just elementary abstract algebra and number theory), but the contemporary flavour of the subject means it will also appeal to more advanced readers.