Learning C

[jon112981]

Hey. I have a question for all you programmers out there. I am an Information Security student at Hopkins and one of the courses I'm taking is a crypto course. Now I have been told by EVERYONE that THE language to use for Crypto is C. I have limited C++ experience and would like to work on learning C, the difference between the two, and becoming familiar with the C enviroment.

Can someone out there recomend a good free C compiler, for student use only of course, and a reference page online? Right now I'm running windows XP at home. We DO have access to some old Sparks with a C compiler for assignments on them but I'd rather work at home for learning it, the labs aren't THAT convenient (i.e. 2 am). I'm not looking for something to be secure at all, since this won't be applied to anything, just me learning C and some of the crypto algorithms.


Thanks,

Jon

[Tekk]

Borland made a program:

http://community.borland.com/article...0841/tc201.zip

Thats the direct download of a program called Turbo C. Probably what you are looking for. Google for "Free C Compilers" and you'll find tons of stuff.

[vass0922]

I'd suggest learning some linux as well, a friend of mine at work is in security .. a lot of 'security' tools are in linux, including some great IDS tools.
Linux also comes standard with c/c++ compilers.

Snort with a MySQL backend is very popular.
Enterasys dragon IDS systems are redhat based if I remember right.
I'd highly suggest a c background, as a security guy its quite common to find 'tools' that are code only and you have to compile them to use them. Setup a small lan that you can tamper with your own machines to really learn how to access systems.

[gberz3]

Compiler:
GCC

Reference:
Oreilly

hope this helps

[HeadBand]

i don't know much about it, i just started learnign c++ myself, but every C program is also a C++ program, so they are very similar

anyways here are the links i have they are mostly on c++ though
Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days - Day 1
http://newdata.box.sk/bx/c/index.htm
Thinking in C++ by Bruce Eckel Chapter 1 (skip the Sections on Extreme Programming and Strategies for Transition)
http://www.mindview.net/Books/TICPP/...ngInCPP2e.html
EGCS Documentation on the C Preprocessor (section on header files)
http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CO...pp_1.html#SEC4
Chapter 1 of A Beginner's C++ (extra credit)
http://www.uow.edu.au/~nabg/ABC/C1.pdf

and these are the compilers the instructor recomended
Dev-C++
http://www.bloodshed.net/dev/devcpp.html
(download the latest one with mingw approx. 7.6MB)

BCC 5.5 (borland's free one)
http://www.borland.com/bcppbuilder/freecompiler/

[elmers]

"Now I have been told by EVERYONE that THE language to use for Crypto is C."

Huh, Im sorry but this is b$, I mean writing a good encrypter can be done in any language, as long as youre using a good algorithm. That would be like saying the fastest programs are written in assembler.

[gberz3]

You certainly want this in your collection as well:

ANSI C PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE

[gberz3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elmers

"Now I have been told by EVERYONE that THE language to use for Crypto is C."

Huh, Im sorry but this is b$, I mean writing a good encrypter can be done in any language, as long as youre using a good algorithm. That would be like saying the fastest programs are written in assembler.

Yes, and no. I mean, I could write a GUI using PERL or LISP, but i certainly wouldn't want to. The point is C is currently the best power vs. usability option for crypto. For a reference, you may wish to check out:

Cryptlib

[elmers]

LISP encryper...now thats funny. I see your point.

[SpookyEddy]

Quote:

Im sorry but this is b$, I mean writing a good encrypter can be done in any language

I would think speed would influence the decision for some people, hence the choice of C.

Quote:

but every C program is also a C++ program, so they are very similar