Quantum Arthur–Merlin games

This paper studies quantum Arthur–Merlin games, which are Arthur–Merlin games in which Arthur and Merlin can perform quantum computations and Merlin can send Arthur quantum information. As in the classical case, messages from Arthur to Merlin are restricted to be strings of uniformly generated random bits. It is proved that for one-message quantum Arthur–Merlin games, which correspond to the complexity class QMA, completeness and soundness errors can be reduced exponentially without increasing the length of Merlins message. Previous constructions for reducing error required a polynomial increase in the length of Merlins message. Applications of this fact include a proof that logarithmic length quantum certificates yield no increase in power over BQP and a simple proof that Other facts that are proved include the equivalence of three (or more) message quantum Arthur–Merlin games with ordinary quantum interactive proof systems and some basic properties concerning two-message quantum Arthur–Merlin games.     

Dependability in open proof software with hardware virtualization—The railway control systems perspective

Using the openETCS initiative as a starting point, we describe how open software can be applied in combination with platform-specific, potentially closed-source extensions, in the development, verification, validation and certification of safety-critical railway control systems. To achieve certification credit for safety-critical system developments, evidence about numerous development, verification and validation artifacts has to be provided. Our focus is therefore on open models, and a model-driven development approach ensures that a large portion of the artifacts is automatically generated from the model. This strategy is illustrated by means of the ETCS standard, as far as applicable to the ETCS on-board computer managing train control and train protection. We show that a domain-specific language is suitable to cover all modeling aspects for this computer, starting from the ETCS standard itself and ending at supplier-specific adaptations extending the re-usable core model in concrete developments. In order to re-use certification credits once achieved for the re-usable core model, we suggest virtualization of run-time environments, so that suppliers can embed re-usable core components as binary code into their ETCS target platforms. A detailed analysis is provided, indicating how future changes in the standard and project-specific adaptations, extensions and restrictions, can be accounted for in a new ETCS development, while minimizing the re-certification effort. It is shown for all phases of the development life cycle how the peer-reviewing capacity of the openETCS community may contribute to the correctness of the phases’ outputs, thereby increasing overall system dependability, with special emphasis on safety and security.     

Inductively Verifying Invariant Properties of Parameterized Systems

Verification of distributed algorithms can be naturally cast as verifying parameterized systems, the parameter being the number of processes. In general, a parameterized concurrent system represents an infinite family (of finite state systems) parameterized by a recursively defined type such as chains, trees. It is therefore natural to verify parameterized systems by inducting over this type. However, construction of such proofs require combination of model checking with deductive capability. In this paper, we develop a logic program transformation based proof methodology which achieves this combination. One of our transformations (unfolding) represents a single resolution step. Thus model checking can be achieved by repeated application of unfolding. Other transformations (such as folding) represent deductive reasoning and help recognize the induction hypothesis in an inductive proof. Moreover the unfolding and folding transformations can be arbitrarily interleaved in a proof, resulting in a tight integration of decision procedures (such as model checking) with deductive verification.Based on this technique, we have designed and implemented an invariant prover for parameterized systems. Our proof technique is geared to automate nested induction proofs which do not involve strengthening of induction hypothesis. The prover has been used to automatically verify invariant properties of parameterized cache coherence protocols, including broadcast protocols and protocols with global conditions. Furthermore, we have employed the prover for automatic verification of mutual exclusion in the Java Meta-Locking Algorithm. Meta-Locking is a distributed algorithm developed recently by designers in Sun Microsystems for ensuring secure access of Java objects by an arbitrary number of Java threads.     

A Full Formalization of SLD-Resolution in the Calculus of Inductive Constructions

This paper presents a full formalization of the semantics of definite programs, in the calculus of inductive constructions. First, we describe a formalization of the proof of first-order terms unification: this proof is obtained from a similar proof dealing with quasi-terms, thus showing how to relate an inductive set with a subset defined by a predicate. Then, SLD-resolution is explicitely defined: the renaming process used in SLD-derivations is made explicit, thus introducing complications, usually overlooked, during the proofs of classical results. Last, switching and lifting lemmas and soundness and completeness theorems are formalized. For this, we present two lemmas, usually omitted, which are needed. This development also contains a formalization of basic results on operators and their fixpoints in a general setting. All the proofs of the results, presented here, have been checked with the proof assistant Coq.     

NP问题的最优轮复杂性知识的零知识证明

NP问题已有的知识的(黑箱)零知识证明都是非常数轮的,因此,在标准的复杂性假设下,NP问题是否存在常数轮的(黑箱)知识的零知识证明是一个有意义的问题.本文对该问题进行了研究,在一定的假设下给出了HC问题的两个常数轮知识的零知识证明系统.根据Katz最近的研究结果,在多项式分层不坍塌的条件下,本文基于claw-free陷门置换给出的HC问题的5轮知识的零知识证明系统具有最优的轮复杂性.     

An Efficient Noninteractive Zero-Knowledge Proof System for NP with General Assumptions

We consider noninteractive zero-knowledge proofs in the shared random string model proposed by Blum et al. [5]. Until recently there was a sizable polynomial gap between the most efficient noninteractive proofs for NP based on general complexity assumptions [11] versus those based on specific algebraic assumptions [7]. Recently, this gap was reduced to a polylogarithmic factor [17]; we further reduce the gap to a constant factor. Our proof system relies on the existence of one-way permutations (or trapdoor permutations for bounded provers). Our protocol is stated in the hidden bit model introduced by Feige et al. [11]. We show how to prove that an n -gate circuit is satisfiable, with error probability 1/n ^O(1) , using only O(n lg n) random committed bits. For this error probability, this result matches to within a constant factor the number of committed bits required by the most efficient known interactive proof systems. Received 20 November 1995 and revised 7 October 1996     

Formal Verification of a Distributed Computer System

Modeling distributed computer systems is known to be a challenging enterprise. Typically, distributed systems are comprised of large numbers of components whose coordination may require complex interactions. Modeling such systems more often than not leads to the nominal intractability of the resulting state space. Various formal methods have been proposed to address the modeling of coordination among distributed systems components. For the most part, however, these methods do not support formal verification mechanisms. By way of contrast, the L-automata/L-processes model supports formal verification mechanisms which in many examples can successfully circumvent state space explosion problems, and allow verification proofs to be extended to an arbitrary number of components. After reviewing L-automata/L-processes formalisms, we present here the formal specification of a fault-tolerant algorithm for a distributed computer system. We also expose the L-automata/L-processes verification of the distributed system, demonstrating how various techniques such as homomorphic reduction, induction, and linearization, can be used to overcome various problems which surface as one models large, complex systems.     

云存储中的数据完整性证明研究及进展

随着云存储模式的出现,越来越多的用户选择将应用和数据移植到云中,但他们在本地可能并没有保存任何数据副本,无法确保存储在云中的数据是完整的.如何确保云存储环境下用户数据的完整性,成为近来学术界研究的一个热点.数据完整性证明(Provable Data Integrity,PDI)被认为是解决这一问题的重要手段,该文对此进行了综述.首先,给出了数据完整性证明机制的协议框架,分析了云存储环境下数据完整性证明所具备的特征;其次,对各种数据完整性证明机制加以分类,在此分类基础上,介绍了各种典型的数据完整性验证机制并进行了对比;最后,指出了云存储中数据完整性验证面临的挑战及发展趋势.