Confinement for Active Objects

Abstract

In this paper, we provide a formal framework for the security of distributed active objects. Active objects communicate asynchronously implementing method calls via futures. We base the formal framework on a security model that uses a semi-lattice to enable multi-lateral security crucial for distributed architectures. We further provide a security type system for the programming model ASPfun of functional active objects. Type safety and a confinement property are presented. ASPfun thus realizes secure down calls.