Bounding Reactions in the Pi-calculus using Interpretations

Resource control ; concurrency ; interpretation methodsInternational audienceWe present a new resource static analysis for the pi-calculus that provides upper bounds on the number of reactions that might occur at runtime for a given process. This work is complementary to previous results on termination of processes by capturing strictly more processes, since it captures all the strongly normalizing processes, and by providing precise upper bounds on the number of communications on each channel. For that purpose, it combines interpretation methods, inspired by polynomial interpretations introduced in order to study the complexity of term rewrite systems, with a notion of resource process that mimics reaction keeping information about resource consumption in terms of communication. We also show that presented analysis is general and can be easily adapted to study space properties of processes (for example, upper bounds on the size of the maximal value sent on a given channel during reaction)

The virtues of idleness: a decidable fragment of resource agent logic

Alternating Time Temporal Logic (ATL) is widely used for the verification of multi-agent systems. We consider Resource Agent Logic (RAL), which extends ATL to allow the verification of properties of systems where agents act under resource constraints. The model checking problem for RAL with unbounded production and consumption of resources is known to be undecidable. We review existing (un)decidability results for fragments of RAL, tighten some existing undecidability results, and identify several aspects which affect decidability of model checking. One of these aspects is the availability of a ‘do nothing’, or idle action, which does not produce or consume resources. Analysis of undecidability results allows us to identify a significant new fragment of RAL for which model checking is decidable

A calculus and logic of bunched resources and processes

Mathematical modelling and simulation modelling are fundamental tools of engineering, science, and social sciences such as economics, and provide decision-support tools in management. Mathematical models are essentially deployed at all scales, all levels of complexity, and all levels of abstraction. Models are often required to be executable, as a simulation, on a computer. We present some contributions to the process-theoretic and logical foundations of discrete-event modelling with resources and processes. Building on previous work in resource semantics, process calculus, and modal logic, we describe a process calculus with an explicit representation of resources in which processes and resources co-evolve. The calculus is closely connected to a substructural modal logic that may be used as a specification language for properties of models. In contrast to earlier work, we formulate the resource semantics, and its relationship with process calculus, in such a way that we obtain soundness and completeness of bisimulation with respect to logical equivalence for the naturally full range of logical connectives and modalities. We give a range of examples of the use of the process combinators and logical structure to describe system structure and behaviour

The virtues of idleness: A decidable fragment of resource agent logic

Alternating Time Temporal Logic (ATL) is widely used for the verification of multi-agent systems. We consider Resource Agent Logic (RAL), which extends ATL to allow the verification of properties of systems where agents act under resource constraints. The model checking problem for RAL with unbounded production and consumption of resources is known to be undecidable. We review existing (un)decidability results for fragments of RAL , tighten some existing undecidability results, and identify several aspects which affect decidability of model checking. One of these aspects is the availability of a ‘do nothing’, or idle action, which does not produce or consume resources. Analysis of undecidability results allows us to identify a significant new fragment of RAL for which model checking is decidable

Quantitative analysis of distributed systems

PhD ThesisComputing Science addresses the security of real-life systems by using various security-oriented technologies (e.g., access control solutions and resource allocation strategies). These security technologies signficantly increase the operational costs of the organizations in which systems are deployed, due to the highly dynamic, mobile and resource-constrained environments. As a result, the problem of designing user-friendly, secure and high efficiency information systems in such complex environment has become a major challenge for the developers. In this thesis, firstly, new formal models are proposed to analyse the secure information flow in cloud computing systems. Then, the opacity of work flows in cloud computing systems is investigated, a threat model is built for cloud computing systems, and the information leakage in such system is analysed. This study can help cloud service providers and cloud subscribers to analyse the risks they take with the security of their assets and to make security related decision. Secondly, a procedure is established to quantitatively evaluate the costs and benefits of implementing information security technologies. In this study, a formal system model for data resources in a dynamic environment is proposed, which focuses on the location of different classes of data resources as well as the users. Using such a model, the concurrent and probabilistic behaviour of the system can be analysed. Furthermore, efficient solutions are provided for the implementation of information security system based on queueing theory and stochastic Petri nets. This part of research can help information security officers to make well judged information security investment decisions

A substructural logic for layered graphs

Complex systems, be they natural or synthetic, are ubiquitous. In particular, complex networks of devices and services underpin most of society's operations. By their very nature, such systems are difficult to conceptualize and reason about effectively. The concept of layering is widespread in complex systems, but has not been considered conceptually. Noting that graphs are a key formalism in the description of complex systems, we establish a notion of a layered graph. We provide a logical characterization of this notion of layering using a non-associative, non-commutative substructural, separating logic. We provide soundness and completeness results for a class of algebraic models that includes layered graphs, which give a mathematically substantial semantics to this very weak logic. We explain, via examples, applications in information processing and security

Layered graph logic as an assertion language for access control policy models

We describe a uniform logical framework, based on a bunched logic that combines classical additives and very weak multiplicatives, for reasoning compositionally about access control policy models. We show how our approach takes account of the underlying system architecture, and so provides a way to identify and reason about how vulnerabilities may arise (and be removed) as a result of the architecture of the system. We consider, using frame rules, how local properties of access control policies are maintained as the system architecture evolves

Trust domains in system models: algebra, logic, utility, and combinators

Understanding the boundaries of trust is a key aspect of accurately modelling multi-agent systems with heterogeneous motivating factors. Reasoning about these boundaries in highly interconnected, information-rich ecosystems is complex, and dependent upon modelling at the correct level of abstraction. Building on an established mathematical framework, which incorporates both logical and cost-based descriptions of systems, and a formal characterization of trust domains in terms of the above, we develop techniques for the combination and substitution of trust domains