Question

Since SSL is the backbone of the secure internet, (now technically called TLS), what are some good books I should read up on to understand all aspects of it?

I suppose I’ll need to learn some math, some PKI books, crypto, and Sysadmin books as well. Since that isn’t a complete list I’m interested in hearing what you think is wise to learn as well.

Answer 1

Here is a list of four good books on the subject (SSL/TLS):

SSL and TLS: Theory and Practice
SSL and TLS: Designing and Building Secure Systems
SSL & TLS: Essentials Securing the Web
Network Security with OpenSSL

Here are some good books on PKI:

Understanding PKI: Concepts, Standards, and Deployment Considerations
Planning for PKI: Best Practices Guide for Deploying Public Key Infrastructure
Public Key Infrastructure: Building Trusted Applications and Web Services
PKI: Implementing & Managing E-Security

And when it comes to cryptograpy, you can’t do much better than:

Introduction to Modern Cryptography: Principles and Protocols
Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C
The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography
Cryptography Engineering: Design Principles and Practical Applications