Security protocols over open networks and distributed systems: formal methods for their analysis, design, and verification

Abstract

Formal methods, theory, and supporting tools can aid the design, analysis, and verification of the security-related and cryptographic protocols used over open networks and distributed systems. The most commonly followed techniques for the application of formal methods for the ex- post analysis and verification of cryptographic protocols, as the analysis approach, are reviewed, followed by the examination of robustness principles and application limitations. Modern high-level specification languages and tools can be used for automatically analysing cryptographic protocols. Recent research work focuses on the ex- ante use of formal methods in the design state of new security protocols, as the synthesis approach. Finally, an outline is presented on current trends for the utilisation of formal methods for the analysis and verification of modern complicated protocols and protocol suites for the real commercial world.