Static Analysis of Security Properties in Mobile Ambients

Security is a major concern for computation in wide-area networks, and is often considered a serious source of potential limitation to a widespread use of mobile code technologies. This key issue has stimulated the research on efficient validation and verification techniques ensuring the acceptable behaviour of software components roaming around on information networks. In this dissertation, we study the impact of an analysis methodology based on control flow analysis in flow logic style on the verification of information-flow security properties in the calculus of Mobile Ambients. The ambient calculus is a minimal formalism where the notion of ambient captures the structure and properties of wide area networks, mobile computing, and mobile computation. As a second contribution, we develop an effective framework for building and analysing systems relying on Rôle-based Access Control mechanisms. In particular, by relying on strong typing as the basic principle, we develop type theoretic methods and tools ensuring that the specified policy is respected during computations. Concern for man himself and his safety must always form the chief interest of all technical endeavours. Never forget this in the midst of your diagrams and equations.