Roger M. Needham

Bio: Roger M. Needham is an academic researcher from Microsoft. The author has contributed to research in topics: Authentication protocol & The Internet. The author has an hindex of 36, co-authored 89 publications receiving 14307 citations. Previous affiliations of Roger M. Needham include Olivetti & PARC.

Using encryption for authentication in large networks of computers

Abstract: Use of encryption to achieve authenticated communication in computer networks is discussed. Example protocols are presented for the establishment of authenticated connections, for the management of authenticated mail, and for signature verification and document integrity guarantee. Both conventional and public-key encryption algorithms are considered as the basis for protocols.

A logic of authentication

Abstract: Authentication protocols are the basis of security in many distributed systems, and it is therefore essential to ensure that these protocols function correctly. Unfortunately, their design has been extremely error prone. Most of the protocols found in the literature contain redundancies or security flaws. A simple logic has allowed us to describe the beliefs of trustworthy parties involved in authentication protocols and the evolution of these beliefs as a consequence of communication. We have been able to explain a variety of authentication protocols formally, to discover subtleties and errors in them, and to suggest improvements. In this paper we present the logic and then give the results of our analysis of four published protocols, chosen either because of their practical importance or because they serve to illustrate our method.

A logic of authentication

Abstract: Authentication protocols are the basis of security in many distributed systems, and it is therefore essential to ensure that these protocols function correctly. Unfortunately, their design has been extremely error prone. Most of the protocols found in the literature contain redundancies or security flaws.A simple logic has allowed us to describe the beliefs of trustworthy parties involved in authentication protocols and the evolution of these beliefs as a consequence of communication. We have been able to explain a variety of authentication protocols formally, to discover subtleties and errors in them, and to suggest improvements. In this paper, we present the logic and then give the results of our analysis of four published protocols, chosen either because of their practical importance or because they serve to illustrate our method.

Reasoning about belief in cryptographic protocols

Abstract: A mechanism is presented for reasoning about belief as a systematic way to understand the working of cryptographic protocols. The mechanism captures more features of such protocols than that given by M. Burrows et al. (1989) to which the proposals are a substantial extension. The notion of possession incorporated in the approach assumes that principles can include in messages data they do not believe in, but merely possess. This also enables conclusions such as 'Q possesses the shared key', as in an example to be derived. The approach places a strong emphasis on the separation between the content and the meaning of messages. This can increase consistency in the analysis and, more importantly, introduce the ability to reason at more than one level. The final position in a given run will depend on the level of mutual trust of the specified principles participating in that run. >

Autonet: a high-speed, self-configuring local area network using point-to-point links

Abstract: Autonet is a self-configuring local area network composed of switches interconnected by 100 Mb/s, full-duplex, point-to-point links. The switches contain 12 ports that are internally connected by a full crossbar. Switches use cut-through to achieve a packet forwarding latency as low as 2 ms/switch. Any switch port can be cabled to any other switch port or to a host network controller. A processor in each switch monitors the network's physical configuration. A distributed algorithm running on the switch processor computes the routes packets are to follow and fills in the packet forwarding table in each switch. With Autonet, distinct paths through the set of network links can carry packets in parallel, allowing many pairs of hosts to communicate simultaneously at full link bandwidth. A 30-switch network with more than 100 hosts has been the service network for Digital's Systems Research Center since February 1990. >

Handbook of Applied Cryptography

Abstract: From the Publisher: A valuable reference for the novice as well as for the expert who needs a wider scope of coverage within the area of cryptography, this book provides easy and rapid access of information and includes more than 200 algorithms and protocols; more than 200 tables and figures; more than 1,000 numbered definitions, facts, examples, notes, and remarks; and over 1,250 significant references, including brief comments on each paper.

Systems and Methods for Secure Transaction Management and Electronic Rights Protection

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem, wherein it is impossible for an electronic content information provider to provide commercially secure and effective method, for a configurable general-purpose electronic commercial transaction/distribution control system. SOLUTION: In this system, having at least one protected processing environment for safely controlling at least one portion of decoding of digital information, a secure content distribution method comprises a process for encapsulating digital information in one or more digital containers; a process for encrypting at least a portion of digital information; a process for associating at least partially secure control information for managing interactions with encrypted digital information and/or digital container; a process for delivering one or more digital containers to a digital information user; and a process for using a protected processing environment, for safely controlling at least a portion of the decoding of the digital information. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

On the security of public key protocols

Abstract: Recently the use of public key encryption to provide secure network communication has received considerable attention. Such public key systems are usually effective against passive eavesdroppers, who merely tap the lines and try to decipher the message. It has been pointed out, however, that an improperly designed protocol could be vulnerable to an active saboteur, one who may impersonate another user or alter the message being transmitted. Several models are formulated in which the security of protocols can be discussed precisely. Algorithms and characterizations that can be used to determine protocol security in these models are given.

Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol

Abstract: This document describes an updated version of the "Security Architecture for IP", which is designed to provide security services for traffic at the IP layer. This document obsoletes RFC 2401 (November 1998). [STANDARDS-TRACK]