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Verifying multicast-based security protocols using the inductive method

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Abstract

Multicast, originally designed as an efficient way of broadcasting content, is being used in security protocols. Multicast security protocols are difficult to verify using model checking because they typically involve a large number of participants. Likewise, the exponential growth of knowledge being distributed during protocol run is a challenge. From a specification point of view, multicast is also a general way of representing message casting in protocol verification, with unicast, anycast and broadcast as special cases. Using the inductive method of protocol verification and Isabelle/HOL, we have devised techniques for specifying multicast protocols and proving many of their essential properties. We show backwards compatibility revisiting a well-known protocol and secrecy proofs for a mixed environment protocol as a case study. Our contributions are twofold: a usable multicast specification using the inductive method and the assertion that protocols should be verified by default using a multicast specification.

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Notes

  1. This lemma is part of the basic theories of the inductive method and is not shown in here. Its proof is available in the Isabelle/HOL distribution files.

  2. This lemma is part of the basic theories of the inductive method and is not shown in here. Its proof is available in the Isabelle/HOL distribution files.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Informática e de Estatística, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil

    Jean Everson Martina

  2. Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 15 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0FD, UK

    Lawrence Charles Paulson

Authors
  1. Jean Everson Martina
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  2. Lawrence Charles Paulson
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Correspondence to Jean Everson Martina.

Additional information

Supported by CAPES/Brazil on Grant #4226-05-4.

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Martina, J.E., Paulson, L.C. Verifying multicast-based security protocols using the inductive method. Int. J. Inf. Secur. 14, 187–204 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10207-014-0251-z

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