Applied Cryptography with RustCrypto

Applied cryptography is the practice of securing data in motion and at rest using proven mathematical algorithms implemented in production-grade libraries. Rust cryptography with RustCrypto—a collection of pure-Rust cryptographic algorithm implementations maintained by the Rust Crypto Group—enables you to build secure systems without relying on C bindings, unsafe code, or external dependencies.

This series covers the full spectrum of cryptographic operations you need: cryptographic hashing for integrity, HMAC for authenticated messages, symmetric AEAD encryption for confidentiality, public-key signatures for authentication, key exchange for establishing shared secrets, and secure randomness for generating keys and nonces. You will learn not only how to use these primitives correctly but also recognize and avoid the common pitfalls that undermine cryptographic systems—reusing nonces, leaking key material in memory, or choosing weak algorithms.

By the end of this series, you will have hands-on experience building a complete hybrid encryption system that combines asymmetric and symmetric cryptography in a production-ready pattern. Whether you're securing a REST API, protecting stored credentials, or implementing end-to-end encryption, these articles equip you with the knowledge and code examples to do it safely in Rust.

Articles in this series

• Rust Cryptography Basics: Essential Concepts
• SHA-256 Hashing in Rust: Secure Hashes Explained
• HMAC Authentication in Rust: Message Integrity Guide
• AES-256 Encryption in Rust: Symmetric Cipher Guide
• ChaCha20-Poly1305: Modern AEAD Cipher in Rust
• Ed25519 Digital Signatures in Rust: Signing & Verification
• ECDH Key Exchange in Rust: Secure Key Agreement
• Secure Random Number Generation in Rust: RNG Best Practices
• Common Cryptography Mistakes in Rust & How to Fix Them
• Building a Hybrid Encryption System in Rust: Complete Example