Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Verification of Secure Network Protocols in Uncertain Environments

  • Published:
International Journal of Wireless Information Networks Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper, we present a method for protocol checking and verification using discrete event control. By protocol checking and verification, we mean verifying that a protocol is logically correct, that it does not cause deadlocks, and that it has been defined to respond to uncontrollable events that may occur in a system implementing it. Our approach differs from those previously suggested in two key ways. We extend the elementary theory of discrete event control to allow us to model more complicated protocols, including protocols relying on arbitrary counting models. We then present a maximum probability method for analyzing a protocol’s ability to react to a priori unspecified events. Unlike current protocol modeling, we use a pushdown automata for modeling protocols. This allows us to model protocols with greater fidelity. Our methods are illustrated using a simple two-level hierarchical protocol that defines the behavior of ad hoc wireless network nodes as they attempt to establish a secure connection. As wireless networks become more prevalent throughout the world, the off-line verification of protocols before they are implemented will help ensure that wireless network protocols are robust to security intrusions before they are deployed into the field. This will save time and money in the long run.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. C. -M. Huang, J. -M. Hsu, H. -Y. Lai, J. -C. Pong and D. -T. Huang, An estelle interpreter for incremental protocol verification, in Proceedings of the International Conference on Network Protocols, IEEE, San Francisco, CA, USA, pp. 326–333, October 19–22 1993

  2. C. A. Brooks, R. Cieslak and P. Varaiya, A method for specifying, implementing, and verifying media access control protocols. IEEE Control Systems Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 87–94, 1990

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. T. Song, J. Alves-Foss, C. Ko, C. Zhang and K. Levitt, Using acl2 to verify security properties of specification-based intrusion detection systems, in Proc. ACL 2-2003, 2003

  4. P. J. Ramadge and W. M. Wonham, Supervisory control of a class of discrete event processes. SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 206–230, 1987

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. P. J. Ramadge and W. M. Wonham, The control of discrete event systems, Proc. IEEE, Vol. 77, No. 1, pp. 81–98, 1989

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. J. E. Hopcroft and J. D. Ullman, Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts, 1979

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. C. Griffin, A note on deciding controllability in pushdown systems. Internal Document: Contact cgriffin@psu.edu to obtain a copy, 2003

  8. T. Lindholm, Setting up a bluetooth packet transport link, February 23 2003

  9. Microsoft Corporation. SQL server notification services books online: Building notification services applications, February 23 2003

  10. S. Damiani, C. Griffin, and S. Phoha, Automated generation of discrete event controllers for dynamic reconfiguration of autonomous sensor networks, in Proceedings of the 48th Annual SPIE Conference, San Diego, CA, USA, August 2003

  11. R. Sekar, Y. Cai, and M. Segal. A specification-based approach for building survivable systems, in Proceedings of the 21st NIST-NCSC National Information Systems Security Conference, pp. 338–347, 1998

  12. D. Denning, An intrusion-detection model, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 222–232, 1987

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. R. Bellman, Dynamic Programming, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1957

    Google Scholar 

  14. R. Kumar, V. K. Garg and S. L. Marcus, On controllability and normality of discrete event dynamical systems. Systems and Control Letters, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 157–168, 1991

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. P. J. Ramadge and W. M. Wonham, On the supremal controllable sublanguage of a given language. SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 637–659, 1987

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  16. C. Griffin and S. Phoha. Formal specifications for sensor network missions, in Sensor Network Operations, IEEE Press, 2004

  17. C. Griffin and S. Phoha. Model building and model checking tools, in Sensor Network Operations, IEEE Press, 2004

Download references

Acknowledgments

The participation of Ms. Damiani, Mr. Griffin and Dr. Phoha was sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and administered by the Army Research Office under Emergent Surveillance Plexus MURI Award NO. DAAD19-01-1-0504. The participation of Mr. Rogan was sponsored by the Army Research Office under Complex Systems Failure MURI Award NO. DAAD19-01-1-0646.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA

    Sarah Damiani

  2. Penn State Applied Research Laboratory, Penn State University, P. O. Box 30, State College, PA, 16804-0030, USA

    Christopher Griffin, Shashi Phoha & Christopher Rogan

  3. Penn State Huck Institute of Life Sciences, University Park, PA, USA

    Stephan Racunas

Authors
  1. Sarah Damiani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christopher Griffin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shashi Phoha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stephan Racunas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Christopher Rogan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher Griffin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Damiani, S., Griffin, C., Phoha, S. et al. Verification of Secure Network Protocols in Uncertain Environments. Int J Wireless Inf Networks 13, 221–228 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10776-006-0034-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10776-006-0034-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation