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Number Theory is one of the most classic fields of Mathematics. The numbers he deals with are those that are called natural 0, 1, 2, ... and that we use since childhood to count. Seemingly simple and harmless, they nevertheless hide some of the most difficult and exciting mysteries of the whole of mathematics. Cryptography, on the other hand, is concerned with hiding the content of confidential communications from prying eyes and corresponds to widespread needs in our society. The Theory of Numbers can help Cryptography in these needs, thanks to the mysteries that still surround it. The text gives an account of this link. It first introduces Modern Cryptography, its goals and priorities. He then goes on to expose arguments of Number Theory, with particular reference to the two problems of recognizing prime numbers, and of decomposing a natural into its prime factors; for each of the two issues it provides a vast panorama of the algorithms that deal with it and try to solve it as effectively as possible. In particular, it presents the very recent AKS procedure for recognizing prime numbers. The book then returns to Cryptography and shows how ideas and methods of Number Theory apply to the construction of reliable procedures for the secure transmission of confidential information.