Context-Free Session Types for Applied Pi-Calculus

We present a binary session type system using context-free session types to a version of the applied pi-calculus of Abadi et. al. where only base terms, constants and channels can be sent. Session types resemble process terms from BPA and we use a version of bisimulation equivalence to characterize type equivalence. We present a quotiented type system defined on type equivalence classes for which type equivalence is built into the type system. Both type systems satisfy general soundness properties; this is established by an appeal to a generic session type system for psi-calculi.Comment: In Proceedings EXPRESS/SOS 2018, arXiv:1808.0807

Session Types for Broadcasting

Up to now session types have been used under the assumptions of point to point communication, to ensure the linearity of session endpoints, and reliable communication, to ensure send/receive duality. In this paper we define a session type theory for broadcast communication semantics that by definition do not assume point to point and reliable communication. Our session framework lies on top of the parametric framework of broadcasting psi-calculi, giving insights on developing session types within a parametric framework. Our session type theory enjoys the properties of soundness and safety. We further believe that the solutions proposed will eventually provide a deeper understanding of how session types principles should be applied in the general case of communication semantics.Comment: In Proceedings PLACES 2014, arXiv:1406.331

Actor Network Procedures as Psi-calculi for Security Ceremonies

The actor network procedures of Pavlovic and Meadows are a recent graphical formalism developed for describing security ceremonies and for reasoning about their security properties. The present work studies the relations of the actor network procedures (ANP) to the recent psi-calculi framework. Psi-calculi is a parametric formalism where calculi like spi- or applied-pi are found as instances. Psi-calculi are operational and largely non-graphical, but have strong foundation based on the theory of nominal sets and process algebras. One purpose of the present work is to give a semantics to ANP through psi-calculi. Another aim was to give a graphical language for a psi-calculus instance for security ceremonies. At the same time, this work provides more insight into the details of the ANPs formalization and the graphical representation.Comment: In Proceedings GraMSec 2014, arXiv:1404.163

Information Flow Safety in Multiparty Sessions

We consider a calculus for multiparty sessions enriched with security levels for messages. We propose a monitored semantics for this calculus, which blocks the execution of processes as soon as they attempt to leak information. We illustrate the use of our monitored semantics with various examples, and show that the induced safety property implies a noninterference property studied previously.Comment: In Proceedings EXPRESS 2011, arXiv:1108.407

Prioritise the Best Variation

Binary session types guarantee communication safety and session fidelity, but alone they cannot rule out deadlocks arising from the interleaving of different sessions. In Classical Processes (CP) [53]—a process calculus based on classical linear logic—deadlock freedom is guaranteed by combining channel creation and parallel composition under the same logical cut rule. Similarly, in Good Variation (GV) [39, 54]—a linear concurrent λ-calculus—deadlock freedom is guaranteed by combining channel creation and thread spawning under the same operation, called fork. In both CP and GV, deadlock freedom is achieved at the expense of expressivity, as the only processes allowed are tree-structured. Dardha and Gay [19] define Priority CP (PCP), which allows cyclic-structured processes and restores deadlock freedom by using priorities, in line with Kobayashi and Padovani [34, 44]. Following PCP, we present Priority GV (PGV), a variant of GV which decouples channel creation from thread spawning. Consequently, we type cyclic-structured processes and restore deadlock freedom by using priorities. We show that our type system is sound by proving subject reduction and progress. We define an encoding from PCP to PGV and prove that the encoding preserves typing and is sound and complete with respect to the operational semantics

On asynchronous session semantics

This paper studies a behavioural theory of the p-calculus with session types under the fundamental principles of the practice of distributed computing — asynchronous communication which is order-preserving inside each connection (session), augmented with asynchronous inspection of events (message arrivals). A new theory of bisimulations is introduced, distinct from either standard asynchronous or synchronous bisimilarity, accurately capturing the semantic nature of session-based asynchronously communicating processes augmented with event primitives. The bisimilarity coincides with the reduction-closed barbed congruence. We examine its properties and compare them with existing semantics. Using the behavioural theory, we verify that the program transformation of multithreaded into event-driven session based processes, using Lauer-Needham duality, is type and semantic preserving. Our benchmark results demonstrate the potential of the sessiontype based translation as semantically transparent optimisation techniques

Reversible Computation: Extending Horizons of Computing

This open access State-of-the-Art Survey presents the main recent scientific outcomes in the area of reversible computation, focusing on those that have emerged during COST Action IC1405 "Reversible Computation - Extending Horizons of Computing", a European research network that operated from May 2015 to April 2019. Reversible computation is a new paradigm that extends the traditional forwards-only mode of computation with the ability to execute in reverse, so that computation can run backwards as easily and naturally as forwards. It aims to deliver novel computing devices and software, and to enhance existing systems by equipping them with reversibility. There are many potential applications of reversible computation, including languages and software tools for reliable and recovery-oriented distributed systems and revolutionary reversible logic gates and circuits, but they can only be realized and have lasting effect if conceptual and firm theoretical foundations are established first