Capability Theory by Sound Bytes

The Confused Deputy is a paper that describes a complex scenario that convinced me that capabilities were more than merely neat. Abstraction Mechanisms for Access Control shows how capabilities are largely another perspective on the protection mechanisms found in classic object languages. Mark Miller gives this Security Taxonomy, and his capabilities based language E. Here are a few references to operating systems that have followed these principles. Here are some capability ideas conveyed by a real writer, and some introductory essays by Shapiro and a suite of mail lists about capabilities and such. Capability Myths Demolished reports and rectifies several persistent misperceptions of capabilities. I have not internalized Fred Spiessen’s thesis where he reasons about what programs are in a position to know and act upon concerning security. Such reasoning is left implicit and unidentified in my pages.

Saltzer & Schroeder wrote a comprehensive paper in 1975 on computer security. Here are some other perspectives on computer security.

The Sound Bytes

Communications Stuff

• Significant other work on capabilities and communications.
• Public Key Crypto Connection
• Symmetric Key Crypto Connection
• Distributed Applications, capabilities on untrusted wires.
• Foreign Travel, a metaphor
• Security without Firewalls
• The nature of a Distributed TCB
• An active network with local capabilities
• Web Security