Book Review: Cracking Codes with Python

With one last code modification, you’re in, and the contents of the vault are yours! Cracking Codes with Python is not quite about breaking into banks or pulling off elaborate heists, but it’s always fun to dream.

Cracking Codes with Python by Al Sweigart is a newly published (January 2018), 424-page book from No Starch Press that bills itself as “An Introduction to Building and Breaking Ciphers.” You can pick up a copy of this book (ISBN-13: 978-1-59327-822-9) from No Starch for $29.95 with a free eBook. Al Sweigart is a professional software developer who teaches programming to kids and adults. He is the author of Automate the Boring Stuff with Python, Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python, and Scratch Programming Playground, also from No Starch Press. His other books are also freely available under a Creative Commons license on his website Invent with Python.

Overview

This book is also an introduction to Python, and covers concepts that are even applicable to people who have never programmed before now. The only pre-requisites for this book are a computer that can run Python (any operating system) and the wish to learn.

Before I dive into my review, I’d like to cover who I am, what I do, and my interest in this book. Hopefully this will explain my existing strengths and weaknesses going into the book, and help you decide if this is for you. I am a Senior Penetration Testing Consultant for Secureworks and have pentested as a career or hobby for over 5 years. I was previously a developer, though never any production level Python (plenty of scripting though). I’ve also had plenty of CTF experience, so I at least have a vague interest (and some experience) in cryptography. That said, I am (Read more...)