DIMACS Workshop on Design and Formal Verification of Security Protocols

September 3-5, 1997
DIMACS Center, CoRE Building, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ

Organizers:

Hilarie Orman, DARPA, ho@cs.arizona.edu

Catherine Meadows, Naval Research Lab, meadows@itd.nrl.navy.mil

As we come to rely more and more upon computer networks to perform vital functions, the need for cryptographic protocols that can enforce a variety of security properties has become more and more important. Thus it is no surprise that in recent years a number of new protocols have been proposed for such applications as electronic credit card transactions, Web browsing, and so forth. Since it is notoriously difficult to design cryptographic protocols correctly, this increased reliance on them to provide security has become cause for some concern. This is especially the case since many of the new protocols are extremely complex.

In answer to these needs, research has been intensifying in the application of formal methods to cryptographic protocol verification. Recently this work has matured enough so that it is starting to see application to real-life protocols. The goal of this workshop is to facilitate this process by bringing together those were are involved in the design and standardization of cryptographic protocols, and those who are developing and using formal methods techniques for the verification of such protocols. To this end we plan to alternate papers with panels soliciting new paths for research. We are particularly interested in paper and panel proposals addressing new protocols with respect to their formal and informal analysis.

Other topics of interest include, but are not limited to

Progress in belief logics

Use of theorem provers and model checkers in verifying crypto protocols

Interaction between protocols and cryptographic modes of operation

Methods for unifying documentation and formal, verifiable specification

Methods for incorporating formal methods into crypto protocol design

Verification of cryptographic API systems

Formal definition of correctness of a cryptographic protocol

Arithmetic capability required for proofs of security for number theoretic systems

Formal definitions of cryptographic protocol requirements

Design methodologies

Emerging needs and new uses for cryptographic protocols

Multiparty protocols, in particular design and verification methods

To submit a paper to the workshop, submit a one or two page abstract, in Postscript or ASCII to both organizers at the email addresses given below by June 16, 1997. Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection of abstracts by July 1. Full papers will be due by August 1. Copies of papers will be distributed at the workshop. We also plan to publish a proceedings.

Participation in the workshop is *not* limited to those giving presentations.

                        Organizers

Hilarie Orman                           Catherine Meadows
DARPA ITO                               Naval Research Laboratory
3701 N. Fairfax Drive                   Code 5543
Arlington VA 22203-1714                 Washington, DC 20375
phone: (703)696-2234                    phone: (202)-767-3490
email: ho@cs.arizona.edu                email:meadows@itd.nrl.navy.mil

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