Automated Analysis of Industrial Scale Security Protocols.

Abstract

Security protocols provide a communication architecture upon which security-sensitive distributed applications are built. Flaws in security protocols can expose applications to exploitation and manipulation. A number of formal analysis techniques have been applied to security protocols, with the ultimate goal of verifying whether or not a protocol fulfils its stated security requirements. These tools are limited in a number of ways. Current research is addressing many of the limitations of the older tools by using state-of-the-art search optimisation and modelling techniques. This dissertation examines new ways in which industrial protocols can be analysed and presents abstract communication channels; a method for explicitly specifying assumptions made about the medium over which participants communicate.

Date of Award	4 Jun 2005
Original language	English
Supervisor	Padmanabhan Krishnan (Supervisor)