Knowledge Flow Analysis for Security Protocols

Knowledge flow analysis offers a simple and flexible way to find flaws in security protocols. A protocol is described by a collection of rules constraining the propagation of knowledge amongst principals. Because this characterization corresponds closely to informal descriptions of protocols, it allows a succinct and natural formalization; because it abstracts away message ordering, and handles communications between principals and applications of cryptographic primitives uniformly, it is readily represented in a standard logic. A generic framework in the Alloy modelling language is presented, and instantiated for two standard protocols, and a new key management scheme.

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2006
• Where: CORR
• Authors: Emina Torlak, Marten van Dijk, Blaise Gassend, Daniel Jackson, Srinivas Devadas
• Keywords: Alloy Modelling Language, CORR 2006, Education, Flexible Way, Security Protocols