12.12.2012 – Tutorial by Stefano Calzavara

Title: An introduction to stochastic process algebras and quantitative security analysis

Date: 12/12/2012
Time: 3:00 pm
Location: Sala riunioni
Type: review of literature
Speaker: Stefano Calzavara (Ca’ Foscari, Venice)

Abstract:
Stochastic process algebras are a popular and convenient specification tool, which have proven successful in many applications from the areas of performance modeling, bioinformatics, and security. However, approaching the world of stochastic process algebras is a nontrivial task, since the very foundations of such models are rather peculiar and the well-known formal machinery of classical (non-deterministic) process algebras does not properly fit them. In this talk we analyze stochastic process algebras from the point of view of the programming languages community, and we try to motivate and understand some apparently weird design choices underlying their development. We then focus on an application of stochastic process algebras to security verification and we propose a personal understanding of the challenges behind such task. We argue that, as the foundations of stochastic process algebras depart from those of classical process algebras, also the approach to their verification may probably benefit from a change of perspective.

Prerequisites: Some notions on process algebras and formal methods may help in appreciating the contents, but the seminar is self-contained.