Phillip Rogaway

professor of Department of Computer Science

University of California, Davis, USA

Title: Constructing Cryptographic Definitions

Abstract: As much as new protocols or technologies, definitions shape the landscape of modern cryptography. We describe how cryptographic definitions arise and evolve, and why they are so crucial, giving examples and perspectives. Definitions I will discuss include notions for collision-resistant hashing, entity authentication, and garbled circuits. An underlying finding is that definitions in cryptography are very much constructed—inventions that reflect our imagination and disciplinary culture more than discoveries that capture the underpinnings of an objective reality.

Biography: Professor Phillip Rogaway is a cryptographer at the University of California, Davis. He did his undergraduate at UC Berkeley and his Ph.D. at MIT. He next worked at IBM as a Security Architect, where he became interested in the problem of developing a theory for cryptography that would be useful, and used, for actual cryptographic practice. In a body of work done in large part with Mihir Bellare, Rogaway developed what has been called “practice-oriented provable security.” For this body of work Rogaway is the recipient an ACM Kanellakis Theory and Practice Award. More than 14,000 papers reference Rogaway’s academic work, and standardized cryptographic schemes that he co-invented include CMAC, DHIES, EME, OAEP, OCB, PSS, UMAC, and XTS. Interested in social and ethical issues surrounding technology, Rogaway regularly teaches a class on this subject. Prof. Rogaway recently completed his work as Program Chair for CRYPTO 2011.

Time: September 14, 2011 – 10 – 11 AM

Present Language: English

Mehran S. Fallah

Associate Prof. of Department of Computer Engineering and Information Technology

Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran

Title: Language-Based Security: Results and Challenges

Abstract: The use of formal methods in the analysis and design of security-critical systems has long been recognized. There is a wide spectrum of such methods, from very powerful, nonetheless cumbersome to use, to lightweight methods. Language-based security can be viewed as a pointer to a class of methods that lie mostly on the light end of the spectrum. It can be defined as the knowledge and science of those methods and mechanisms that are employed in the design and implementation of programming languages and the way they may be used to enforce, and analyze, security policies and properties. Devising judicious type systems, rewriting mechanisms, and run-time systems to enforce security policies are among the research topics of this area. Language-based security has also led to great achievements in the analysis of security protocols. In recent years, it has given rise to a number of practical software tools as well. This talk elaborates on language-based security, its achievements, challenges, and prospective researches.

Biography: Mehran S. Fallah is an associate professor of computer engineering and information technology at Amirkabir University of Technology. After receiving his Ph.D. on formal description of service availability and denial of service in computer networks from Tarbiat Modares University, he has continued research and teaching in the area of information security for almost 10 years. During 2004-2009, he has been moving into new research areas. In addition to topics in information security and formal methods, he is pursuing research in game theoretic analysis and design of computing systems, especially secure systems, as well as in foundations of programming languages which is fundamental to designing secure software. His recent papers are mostly in the area of language-based security.

Time: September 15, 2011 – 8:30 – 9:30 AM

Present Language: Persian