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Modelling and analyzing cryptographic protocols using Petri nets

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Advances in Cryptology — AUSCRYPT '92 (AUSCRYPT 1992)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 718))

Abstract

In this paper, we present a Petri net based methodology for the formal modelling and analysis of cryptographic protocols. We set up modelling rules that represent the protocols in terms of Petri nets. The modelling produces formal descriptions for the protocols with good visibility and layered abstraction. In particular, the descriptions clearly visualize the causal relations and constraints among the data flows in the protocols. An intruder model is introduced to formulate intruder attacks and to generate test cases against the cryptographic protocols. A procedure that exhaustively generates the test cases and searches for states that violate specified security criteria, is also proposed. We demonstrate the value of this methodology by applying it to a number of published protocols. In this way, we are able to reveal security flaws of these protocols. This methodology is applicable to both public-key and private-key based cryptographic protocols.

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Jennifer Seberry Yuliang Zheng

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© 1993 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Nieh, B.B., Tavares, S.E. (1993). Modelling and analyzing cryptographic protocols using Petri nets. In: Seberry, J., Zheng, Y. (eds) Advances in Cryptology — AUSCRYPT '92. AUSCRYPT 1992. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 718. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-57220-1_69

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-57220-1_69

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-57220-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-47976-5

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