In this paper we propose a novel approach to the learning of cryptographic protocols, based on a collaborative role-based visualization system, DISCERN, that helps students to understand a protocol by actively engaging them in a simulation of its execution. In DISCERN, each student shares a visual exemplification of a real-world scenario with other students and impersonates one of the parties involved in the execution of a protocol. Students may take the role of legal or malicious parties and are provided with primitives that are useful for the implementation of several protocols. To achieve a certain security goal correctly, legal parties have to collaborate and carefully execute the steps required by the implemented protocol in the correct order. If any error is made, the security of the protocol is exposed to the threats coming from other students impersonating malicious parties. The entire process is run under the supervision of the teacher.
DISCERN: A collaborative visualization system for learning cryptographic protocols / Giuseppe, Cattaneo; Alfredo De, Santis; FERRARO PETRILLO, Umberto. - (2009), pp. 1-8. (Intervento presentato al convegno 2009 5th International Conference on Collaborative Computing: Networking, Applications and Worksharing, CollaborateCom 2009 tenutosi a Washington, DC) [10.4108/icst.collaboratecom2009.8360].
DISCERN: A collaborative visualization system for learning cryptographic protocols
FERRARO PETRILLO, UMBERTO
2009
Abstract
In this paper we propose a novel approach to the learning of cryptographic protocols, based on a collaborative role-based visualization system, DISCERN, that helps students to understand a protocol by actively engaging them in a simulation of its execution. In DISCERN, each student shares a visual exemplification of a real-world scenario with other students and impersonates one of the parties involved in the execution of a protocol. Students may take the role of legal or malicious parties and are provided with primitives that are useful for the implementation of several protocols. To achieve a certain security goal correctly, legal parties have to collaborate and carefully execute the steps required by the implemented protocol in the correct order. If any error is made, the security of the protocol is exposed to the threats coming from other students impersonating malicious parties. The entire process is run under the supervision of the teacher.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.