Cryptology ePrint Archive: Report 2007/139

The Delivery and Evidences Layer

Amir Herzberg and Igal Yoffe

Abstract: Evidences of delivery are essential for resolving (and avoiding) disputes on delivery of messages, in classical as well as electronic commerce. We present the first rigorous specifications and provably-secure implementation, for a communication layer providing time-stamped evidences for the message delivery process. This improves on existing standards for evidences (‘non-repudiation’) services, based on informal specifications and unproven designs. Our work also improves on the large body of analytical works on tasks related to evidences of delivery, such as certified mail/delivery protocols and fair exchange (of signatures). We improve by addressing practical needs and scenarios, using realistic synchronization and communication assumptions, supporting time-outs and failures, and providing well-defined interface to the higher-layer protocols (application). Furthermore, we use the layered specifications framework, allowing provably-secure use of our protocol, with lower and higher layer protocols, with complete re-use of our analysis (theorems).

Category / Keywords: cryptographic protocols / certified delivery, cryptographic protocol, fair exchange, layered specifications, non-repudiation, secure e-commerce.

Date: received 19 Apr 2007

Contact author: igal yoffe at gmail com

Available format(s): PDF | BibTeX Citation

Version: 20070420:204434 (All versions of this report)

Short URL: ia.cr/2007/139

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