The Joy of EasyCrypt: The Least Painful Way to Learn Formal Verification of Cryptography

Abstract

The ideas of computer-assisted proofs and formal verification have been around for a considerable time, but the field has a high barrier to entry. When it comes to formally verified cryptography, the barrier is exceptionally higher since it requires familiarity with even more topics – translating to interesting challenges in the pedagogy of the field. Beginners learning to work with the tools of formal verification of cryptography face considerable difficulty due to the lack of resources to help with their learning journey. In particular, when it comes to EasyCrypt, a toolset for reasoning about cryptographic proofs, an incomplete and sometimes obsolete reference manual, and a lack of learning material for beginners, together with the high barrier of entry, hinder the pace of learning. This work attempts to remedy this problem by creating formal verification learning material. We present the first few chapters of an open-source textbook, The Joy of EasyCrypt, which establishes the context and develops the theory and practical exercises required to learn and work with EasyCrypt. This marks the beginning of an effort to make formal verification with EasyCrypt more accessible and easier to learn.