Formal representation and reasoning approaches in modelling cryptographic protocols

We survey at a very high level some examples of existing work involving the formal verification of the properties of cryptographic protocols. For the purposes of this survey, formal verification includes the use of logics, proof systems, and inductive reasoning. The goal of this survey is twofold. First, it reviews a few existing attempts found in the literature to model cryptographic protocols in order to verify their security , and identifies the decisions made by researchers attempting to apply formal modelling tools. Second, it assembles a detailed list of the features a formal modelling tool for cryptographic protocols should possess, and discusses the manner in which the formal modelling of various features of cryptographic protocols might be accomplished with such features.