Posed as an open problem in 1984, but efficiently instantiated only in 2001, identity-based encryption hasn't left the forefront of cryptographic research since. Praised by fans as the economical alternative to public-key infrastructures, booed by critics for its inherent key escrow, identity-based cryptography is also the topic of numerous debates in the cryptographic community. "Identity-Based Cryptography" looks beyond the controversy and intends to give an overview of the current state-of-the-art in identity-based cryptography. -- Publisher description