Recommended Security Reading
Avoid _Applied Cryptography_. You probably won't get too much value from _Introduction to Modern Cryptography_, either.<p>The only cryptography book I can recommend is _Cryptography Engineering_ (nee _Practical Cryptography_, which is virtually identical).<p>You would be surprised how few professional security people know anything about cryptography. It certainly isn't a qualifier.<p>I generally have a hard time with any book list for security people that includes, for instance, _Design Patterns_.