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ABSTRACT. The higher-order π-calculus is an extension of the π-calculus to allow communication of abstractions of processes rather than names alone. It has been studied intensively by Sangiorgi in his thesis where a characterisation of a contextual equivalence for higher-order π-calculus is provided using labelled transition systems and normal bisimulations. Unfortunately the proof technique used there requires a restriction of the language to only allow finite types.We revisit this calculus and offer an alternative presentation of the labelled transition system and a novel proof technique which allows us to provide a fully abstract characterisation of contextual equivalence using labelled transitions and bisimulations for higher-order π-calculus with recursive types also.

Abstract-Randomization is used in computer security as a tool to introduce unpredictability into the software infrastructure. In this paper, we study the use of randomization to achieve the secrecy and integrity guarantees for local memory.We follow the approach set out by Abadi and Plotkin (2010). We consider the execution of an idealized language in two environments. In the strict environment, opponents cannot access local variables of the user program. In the lax environment, opponents may attempt to guess allocated memory locations and thus, with small probability, gain access the local memory of the user program. We model these environments using two novel calculi: λµhashref and λµproberef.Our contribution to the Abadi-Plotkin program is to enrich the programming language with dynamic memory allocation, first class and higher order references and call/cc-style control. On the one hand, these enhancements allow us to directly model a larger class of system hardening principles. On the other hand, the class of opponents is also enhanced since our enriched language permits natural and direct encoding of attacks that alter the control flow of programs.Our main technical result is a fully abstract translation (upto probability) of λµhashref into λµproberef. Thus, in the presence of randomized layouts, the opponent gains no new power from being able to guess local references of the user program. Our numerical bounds are similar to those of Abadi and Plotkin; thus, the extra programming language features do not cause a concomitant increase in the resources required for protection via randomization.

Abstract. We introduce an expressive yet semantically clean core Java-like language, Java Jr., and provide it with a formal operational semantics based on traces of observable actions which represent interaction across package boundaries. A detailed example based on the Observer Pattern is used to demonstrate the intuitive character of the semantic model. We also show that our semantic trace equivalence is fully-abstract with respect to a natural notion of testing equivalence for object systems. This is the first such result for a full class-based OO-language with inheritance.

Pitts and Stark have proposed the ν-calculus as a language for investigating the interaction of unique name generation and higher-order functions. They developed a sound model based on logical relations, but left completeness as an open problem. In this paper, we develop a complete model based on bisimulation for a labelled transition system semantics. We show that bisimulation is complete, but not sound, for the ν-calculus. We also show that by adding assignment to the ν-calculus, bisimulation becomes sound and complete. The analysis used to obtain this result illuminates the difficulties involved in finding fully abstract models for ν-calculus proper.