DROPS

Volume

LIPIcs, Volume 121

32nd International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2018)

DISC 2018, October 15-19, 2018, New Orleans, USA

Editors: Ulrich Schmid and Josef Widder

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.CSL.2026.31

Parametric Disjunctive Timed Networks

Authors: Étienne André, Swen Jacobs, and Engel Lefaucheux

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 363, 34th EACSL Annual Conference on Computer Science Logic (CSL 2026)

Abstract

We consider distributed systems with an arbitrary number of processes, modelled by timed automata that communicate through location guards: a process can take a guarded transition if at least one other process is in a given location. In this work, we introduce parametric disjunctive timed networks, where each timed automaton may contain timing parameters, i.e., unknown constants. We investigate two problems: deciding the emptiness of the set of parameter valuations for which 1) a given location is reachable for at least one process (local property), and 2) a global state is reachable where all processes are in a given location (global property). Our main positive result is that the first problem is decidable for networks of processes with a single clock and without invariants; this result holds for arbitrarily many timing parameters - a setting with few known decidability results. However, it becomes undecidable when invariants are allowed, or when considering global properties, even for systems with a single parameter. This highlights the significant expressive power of invariants in these networks. Additionally, we exhibit further decidable subclasses by restraining the syntax of guards and invariants.

Cite as

Étienne André, Swen Jacobs, and Engel Lefaucheux. Parametric Disjunctive Timed Networks. In 34th EACSL Annual Conference on Computer Science Logic (CSL 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 363, pp. 31:1-31:24, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{andre_et_al:LIPIcs.CSL.2026.31,
  author =	{Andr\'{e}, \'{E}tienne and Jacobs, Swen and Lefaucheux, Engel},
  title =	{{Parametric Disjunctive Timed Networks}},
  booktitle =	{34th EACSL Annual Conference on Computer Science Logic (CSL 2026)},
  pages =	{31:1--31:24},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-411-6},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{363},
  editor =	{Guerrini, Stefano and K\"{o}nig, Barbara},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.CSL.2026.31},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-254562},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.CSL.2026.31},
  annote =	{Keywords: parametrised verification, parametric timed automata, verification of infinite-state systems}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.OPODIS.2025.10

Computing in a Faulty Congested Clique

Authors: Keren Censor-Hillel and Pedro Soto

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 361, 29th International Conference on Principles of Distributed Systems (OPODIS 2025)

Abstract

We study a Faulty Congested Clique model, in which an adversary may fail nodes in the network throughout the computation. We show that any task of O(nlog{n})-bit input per node can be solved in roughly n rounds, where n is the size of the network. This nearly matches the linear upper bound on the complexity of the non-faulty Congested Clique model for such problems, by learning the entire input, and it holds in the faulty model even with a linear number of faults. Our main contribution is that we establish that one can do much better by looking more closely at the computation. Given a deterministic algorithm 𝒜 for the non-faulty Congested Clique model, we show how to transform it into an algorithm 𝒜' for the faulty model, with an overhead that could be as small as some logarithmic-in-n factor, by considering refined complexity measures of 𝒜. As an exemplifying application of our approach, we show that the O(n^{1/3})-round complexity of semi-ring matrix multiplication [Censor{-}Hillel, Kaski, Korhonen, Lenzen, Paz, Suomela, PODC 2015] remains the same up to polylog factors in the faulty model, even if the adversary can fail 99% of the nodes (or any other constant fraction).

Cite as

Keren Censor-Hillel and Pedro Soto. Computing in a Faulty Congested Clique. In 29th International Conference on Principles of Distributed Systems (OPODIS 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 361, pp. 10:1-10:19, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{censorhillel_et_al:LIPIcs.OPODIS.2025.10,
  author =	{Censor-Hillel, Keren and Soto, Pedro},
  title =	{{Computing in a Faulty Congested Clique}},
  booktitle =	{29th International Conference on Principles of Distributed Systems (OPODIS 2025)},
  pages =	{10:1--10:19},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-409-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{361},
  editor =	{Arusoaie, Andrei and Onica, Emanuel and Spear, Michael and Tucci-Piergiovanni, Sara},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.OPODIS.2025.10},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-251833},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.OPODIS.2025.10},
  annote =	{Keywords: distributed computing, graph algorithms, computing with faults}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.FSTTCS.2025.8

Parameterized Verification of Timed Networks with Clock Invariants

Authors: Étienne André, Swen Jacobs, Shyam Lal Karra, and Ocan Sankur

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 360, 45th IARCS Annual Conference on Foundations of Software Technology and Theoretical Computer Science (FSTTCS 2025)

Abstract

We consider parameterized verification problems for networks of timed automata (TAs) based on different communication primitives. To this end, we first consider disjunctive timed networks (DTNs), i.e., networks of TAs that communicate via location guards that enable a transition only if there is another process in a certain location. We solve for the first time the case with unrestricted clock invariants, and establish that the parameterized model checking problem (PMCP) over finite local traces can be reduced to the corresponding model checking problem on a single TA. Moreover, we prove that the PMCP for networks that communicate via lossy broadcast can be reduced to the PMCP for DTNs. Finally, we show that for networks with k-wise synchronization, and therefore also for timed Petri nets, location reachability can be reduced to location reachability in DTNs. As a consequence we can answer positively the open problem from Abdulla et al. (2018) whether the universal safety problem for timed Petri nets with multiple clocks is decidable.

Cite as

Étienne André, Swen Jacobs, Shyam Lal Karra, and Ocan Sankur. Parameterized Verification of Timed Networks with Clock Invariants. In 45th IARCS Annual Conference on Foundations of Software Technology and Theoretical Computer Science (FSTTCS 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 360, pp. 8:1-8:19, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{andre_et_al:LIPIcs.FSTTCS.2025.8,
  author =	{Andr\'{e}, \'{E}tienne and Jacobs, Swen and Karra, Shyam Lal and Sankur, Ocan},
  title =	{{Parameterized Verification of Timed Networks with Clock Invariants}},
  booktitle =	{45th IARCS Annual Conference on Foundations of Software Technology and Theoretical Computer Science (FSTTCS 2025)},
  pages =	{8:1--8:19},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-406-2},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{360},
  editor =	{Aiswarya, C. and Mehta, Ruta and Roy, Subhajit},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.FSTTCS.2025.8},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-250878},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.FSTTCS.2025.8},
  annote =	{Keywords: Networks of Timed Automata, Parameterized Verification, Timed Petri Nets}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.4

pod: An Optimal-Latency, Censorship-Free, and Accountable Generalized Consensus Layer

Authors: Orestis Alpos, Bernardo David, Jakov Mitrovski, Odysseas Sofikitis, and Dionysis Zindros

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 356, 39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025)

Abstract

This work addresses the inherent issues of high latency in blockchains and low scalability in traditional consensus protocols. We present pod, a novel notion of consensus whose first priority is to achieve the physically-optimal latency of 2δ, or one round-trip, i.e., requiring only one network trip (duration δ) for writing a transaction and one for reading it. To accomplish this, we first eliminate inter-replica communication. Instead, clients send transactions directly to all replicas, which independently process transactions and append them to local logs. Replicas assign a timestamp and a sequence number to each transaction in their logs, allowing clients to extract valuable metadata about the transactions and the system state. Later on, clients retrieve these logs and extract transactions (and associated metadata) from them. Necessarily, this construction achieves weaker properties than a total-order broadcast protocol, due to existing lower bounds. Our work models the primitive of pod and defines its security properties. We then show pod-core, a protocol that satisfies properties such as transaction confirmation within 2δ, censorship resistance against Byzantine replicas, and accountability for safety violations. We show that single-shot auctions can be realized using the pod notion and observe that it is also sufficient for other popular applications.

Cite as

Orestis Alpos, Bernardo David, Jakov Mitrovski, Odysseas Sofikitis, and Dionysis Zindros. pod: An Optimal-Latency, Censorship-Free, and Accountable Generalized Consensus Layer. In 39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 356, pp. 4:1-4:24, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{alpos_et_al:LIPIcs.DISC.2025.4,
  author =	{Alpos, Orestis and David, Bernardo and Mitrovski, Jakov and Sofikitis, Odysseas and Zindros, Dionysis},
  title =	{{pod: An Optimal-Latency, Censorship-Free, and Accountable Generalized Consensus Layer}},
  booktitle =	{39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025)},
  pages =	{4:1--4:24},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-402-4},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{356},
  editor =	{Kowalski, Dariusz R.},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.4},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-248219},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.4},
  annote =	{Keywords: consensus, censorship resistance, accountability, auctions}
}

Document

Brief Announcement

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.65

Brief Announcement: Congested Clique Counting for Local Gibbs Distributions

Authors: Joshua Z. Sobel

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 356, 39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025)

Abstract

There are well established reductions between combinatorial sampling and counting problems (Jerrum, Valiant, Vazirani TCS 1986). Building off of a very recent parallel algorithm utilizing this connection (Liu, Yin, Zhang arxiv 2024), we demonstrate the first approximate counting algorithm in the CongestedClique for a wide range of problems. Most interestingly, we present an algorithm for approximating the number of q-colorings of a graph within ε-multiplicative error, when q > αΔ for any constant α > 2, in Õ((n^{1/3})/ε²) rounds. More generally, we achieve a runtime of Õ((n^{1/3})/ε²) rounds for approximating the partition function of Gibbs distributions defined over graphs when simple locality and fast mixing conditions hold. Gibbs distributions are widely used in fields such as machine learning and statistical physics. We obtain our result by providing an algorithm to draw n random samples from a distributed Markov chain in parallel, using similar ideas to triangle counting (Dolev, Lenzen, Peled DISC 2012) and semiring matrix multiplication (Censor-Hillel, Kaski, Korhonen, Lenzen, Paz, Suomela PODC 2015). Aside from counting problems, this result may be interesting for other applications requiring a large number of samples.

Cite as

Joshua Z. Sobel. Brief Announcement: Congested Clique Counting for Local Gibbs Distributions. In 39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 356, pp. 65:1-65:7, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{sobel:LIPIcs.DISC.2025.65,
  author =	{Sobel, Joshua Z.},
  title =	{{Brief Announcement: Congested Clique Counting for Local Gibbs Distributions}},
  booktitle =	{39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025)},
  pages =	{65:1--65:7},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-402-4},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{356},
  editor =	{Kowalski, Dariusz R.},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.65},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-248811},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.65},
  annote =	{Keywords: Distributed Sampling, Approximate Counting, Markov Chains, Gibbs Distributions}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.25

Model-Agnostic Approximation of Constrained Forest Problems

Authors: Corinna Coupette, Alipasha Montaseri, and Christoph Lenzen

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 356, 39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025)

Abstract

Constrained Forest Problems (CFPs) as introduced by Goemans and Williamson in 1995 capture a wide range of network design problems with edge subsets as solutions, such as Minimum Spanning Tree, Steiner Forest, and Point-to-Point Connection. While individual CFPs have been studied extensively in individual computational models, a unified approach to solving general CFPs in multiple computational models has been lacking. Against this background, we present the shell-decomposition algorithm, a model-agnostic meta-algorithm that efficiently computes a (2+ε)-approximation to CFPs for a broad class of forest functions. The shell-decomposition algorithm isolates the problem-specific hardness of individual CFPs in a single computational subroutine, breaking the remainder of the computation into fundamental tasks that are studied extensively in a wide range of computational models. In contrast to prior work, our framework is compatible with the use of approximate distances. To demonstrate the power and flexibility of this result, we instantiate our algorithm for three fundamental, NP-hard CFPs (Steiner Forest, Point-to-Point Connection, and Facility Placement and Connection) in three different computational models (Congest, PRAM, and Multi-Pass Streaming). For constant ε, we obtain the following (2+ε)-approximations in the Congest model: [(1)] 1) For Steiner Forest specified via input components (SF-IC), where each node knows the identifier of one of k disjoint subsets of V (the input components), we achieve a deterministic (2+ε)-approximation in 𝒪̃(√n+D+k) rounds, where D is the hop diameter of the graph, significantly improving over the state of the art. 2) For Steiner Forest specified via symmetric connection requests (SF-SCR), where connection requests are issued to pairs of nodes u,v ∈ V, we leverage randomized equality testing to reduce the running time to 𝒪̃(√n+D), succeeding with high probability. 3) For Point-to-Point Connection, we provide a (2+ε)-approximation in 𝒪̃(√n+D) rounds. 4) For Facility Placement and Connection, a relative of non-metric Uncapacitated Facility Location, we obtain a (2+ε)-approximation in 𝒪̃(√n + D) rounds. We further show how to replace the √n+D term by the complexity of solving Partwise Aggregation, achieving (near-)universal optimality in any setting in which a solution to Partwise Aggregation in near-shortcut-quality time is known. Notably, all of our concrete results can be derived with relative ease once our model-agnostic meta-algorithm has been specified. This demonstrates the power of our modularization approach to algorithm design.

Cite as

Corinna Coupette, Alipasha Montaseri, and Christoph Lenzen. Model-Agnostic Approximation of Constrained Forest Problems. In 39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 356, pp. 25:1-25:24, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{coupette_et_al:LIPIcs.DISC.2025.25,
  author =	{Coupette, Corinna and Montaseri, Alipasha and Lenzen, Christoph},
  title =	{{Model-Agnostic Approximation of Constrained Forest Problems}},
  booktitle =	{39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025)},
  pages =	{25:1--25:24},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-402-4},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{356},
  editor =	{Kowalski, Dariusz R.},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.25},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-248420},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.25},
  annote =	{Keywords: Distributed Graph Algorithms, Model-Agnostic Algorithms, Steiner Forest}
}

Document

Brief Announcement

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.60

Brief Announcement: Distributed Sparsest Cut via Eigenvalue Estimation

Authors: Yannic Maus and Tijn de Vos

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 356, 39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025)

Abstract

We give new, improved bounds for approximating the sparsest cut value or in other words the conductance ϕ of a graph in the CONGEST model. As our main result, we present an algorithm running in O(log² n/ϕ) rounds in which every vertex outputs a value ̃ ϕ satisfying ϕ ≤ ̃ ϕ ≤ √{2.01ϕ}. In most regimes, our algorithm improves significantly over the previously fastest algorithm for the problem [Chen, Meierhans, Probst Gutenberg, Saranurak; SODA 25]. Additionally, our result generalizes to k-way conductance. We obtain these results, by approximating the eigenvalues of the normalized Laplacian matrix L: = I-Deg^{-1/2}ADeg^ {-1/2}, where, A is the adjacency matrix and Deg is the diagonal matrix with the weighted degrees on the diagonal. We show our algorithms are near-optimal by proving a lower bound for computing the smallest non-trivial eigenvalue of L, even in the stronger LOCAL model The previous state of the art sparsest cut algorithm is in the technical realm of expander decompositions. Our algorithms, on the other hand, are relatively simple and easy to implement. At the core, they rely on the well-known power method, which comes down to repeatedly multiplying the Laplacian with a vector. This operation can be performed in a single round in the CONGEST model. All our algorithms apply to weighted, undirected graphs. Our lower bounds apply even in unweighted graphs.

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Yannic Maus and Tijn de Vos. Brief Announcement: Distributed Sparsest Cut via Eigenvalue Estimation. In 39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 356, pp. 60:1-60:7, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{maus_et_al:LIPIcs.DISC.2025.60,
  author =	{Maus, Yannic and de Vos, Tijn},
  title =	{{Brief Announcement: Distributed Sparsest Cut via Eigenvalue Estimation}},
  booktitle =	{39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025)},
  pages =	{60:1--60:7},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-402-4},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{356},
  editor =	{Kowalski, Dariusz R.},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.60},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-248763},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.60},
  annote =	{Keywords: CONGEST, Sparsest Cut, Laplacian, Eigenvalues, Spectral Graph Theory}
}

Document

RANDOM

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.50

Shared Randomness in Locally Checkable Problems: The Role of Computational Assumptions

Authors: Adar Hadad and Moni Naor

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 353, Approximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques (APPROX/RANDOM 2025)

Abstract

Shared randomness is a valuable resource in distributed computing, allowing some form of coordination between processors without explicit communication. But what happens when the shared random string can affect the inputs to the system? Consider the class of distributed graph problems where the correctness of solutions can be checked locally, known as Locally Checkable Labelings (LCL). LCL problems have been extensively studied in the LOCAL model, where nodes operate in synchronous rounds and have access only to local information. This has led to intriguing insights regarding the power of private randomness. E.g., for certain round complexity classes, derandomization does not incur an overhead (asymptotically). This work considers a setting where the randomness is public. Recently, an LCL problem for which shared randomness can reduce the round complexity was discovered by Balliu et al. (ICALP 2025). This result applies to inputs set obliviously of the shared randomness, which may not always be a plausible assumption. We define a model where the inputs can be adversarially chosen, even based on the shared randomness, which we now call preset public coins. We study LCL problems in the preset public coins model, under assumptions regarding the computational power of the adversary that selects the input. We show connections to hardness in the class TFNP. Our results are: 1) Assuming a hard-on-average problem in TFNP, we present an LCL problem that, in the preset public coins model, demonstrates a gap in the round complexity between polynomial-time and unbounded adversaries. 2) An LCL problem for which the error probability is significantly higher when facing unbounded adversaries implies a hard-on-average problem in TFNP/poly.

Cite as

Adar Hadad and Moni Naor. Shared Randomness in Locally Checkable Problems: The Role of Computational Assumptions. In Approximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques (APPROX/RANDOM 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 353, pp. 50:1-50:23, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{hadad_et_al:LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.50,
  author =	{Hadad, Adar and Naor, Moni},
  title =	{{Shared Randomness in Locally Checkable Problems: The Role of Computational Assumptions}},
  booktitle =	{Approximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques (APPROX/RANDOM 2025)},
  pages =	{50:1--50:23},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-397-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{353},
  editor =	{Ene, Alina and Chattopadhyay, Eshan},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.50},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-244161},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.50},
  annote =	{Keywords: Distributed Graph Algorithms, Common Random String, Cryptographic Hardness}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.CONCUR.2025.17

Just Verification of Mutual Exclusion Algorithms

Authors: Rob van Glabbeek, Bas Luttik, and Myrthe S. C. Spronck

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 348, 36th International Conference on Concurrency Theory (CONCUR 2025)

Abstract

We verify the correctness of a variety of mutual exclusion algorithms through model checking. We look at algorithms where communication is via shared read/write registers, where those registers can be atomic or non-atomic. For the verification of liveness properties, it is necessary to assume a completeness criterion to eliminate spurious counterexamples. We use justness as completeness criterion. Justness depends on a concurrency relation; we consider several such relations, modelling different assumptions on the working of the shared registers. We present executions demonstrating the violation of correctness properties by several algorithms, and in some cases suggest improvements.

Cite as

Rob van Glabbeek, Bas Luttik, and Myrthe S. C. Spronck. Just Verification of Mutual Exclusion Algorithms. In 36th International Conference on Concurrency Theory (CONCUR 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 348, pp. 17:1-17:25, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{vanglabbeek_et_al:LIPIcs.CONCUR.2025.17,
  author =	{van Glabbeek, Rob and Luttik, Bas and Spronck, Myrthe S. C.},
  title =	{{Just Verification of Mutual Exclusion Algorithms}},
  booktitle =	{36th International Conference on Concurrency Theory (CONCUR 2025)},
  pages =	{17:1--17:25},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-389-8},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{348},
  editor =	{Bouyer, Patricia and van de Pol, Jaco},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.CONCUR.2025.17},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-239670},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.CONCUR.2025.17},
  annote =	{Keywords: Mutual exclusion, safe registers, regular registers, overlapping reads and writes, atomicity, safety, liveness, starvation freedom, justness, model checking, mCRL2}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.OPODIS.2024.18

Stabilizing Consensus Is Impossible in Lossy Iterated Immediate Snapshot Models

Authors: Stephan Felber and Hugo Rincon Galeana

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 324, 28th International Conference on Principles of Distributed Systems (OPODIS 2024)

Abstract

A substantial portion of distributed computing research is dedicated to terminating problems like consensus and similar agreement problems. However, non-terminating problems have been intensively studied in the context of self-stabilizing distributed algorithms, where processes may start from arbitrary initial states and can tolerate arbitrary transient faults. In between lie stabilizing problems, where the processes start from a well-defined initial state, but do not need to decide irrevocably and are allowed to change their decision finitely often until a stable decision is eventually reached. Stabilizing consensus has been studied within the context of synchronous message adversaries. In particular, Charron-Bost and Moran showed that a necessary condition for stabilizing consensus is the existence of at least one process that reaches all others infinitely often (a perpetual broadcaster). However, it was left open whether this is also a sufficient condition for solving stabilizing consensus. In this paper, we introduce the novel Delayed Lossy-Link (DLL) model, and the Lossy Iterated Immediate Snapshot Model (LIIS), for which we show stabilizing consensus to be impossible. The DLL model is introduced as a variant of the well-known Lossy-Link model, which admits silence periods of arbitrary but finite length. The LIIS model is a variant of the Iterated Immediate Snapshot (IIS), model which admits finite length periods of at most f omission faults per layer. In particular, we show that stabilizing consensus is impossible even when f = 1. Our results show that even in a model with very strong connectivity, namely, the Iterated Immediate Snapshot (IIS) model, a single omission fault per layer effectively disables stabilizing consensus. Furthermore, since the DLL model always has a perpetual broadcaster, the mere existence of a perpetual broadcaster, even in a crash-free setting, is not sufficient for solving stabilizing consensus, negatively answering the open question posed by Charron-Bost and Moran.

Cite as

Stephan Felber and Hugo Rincon Galeana. Stabilizing Consensus Is Impossible in Lossy Iterated Immediate Snapshot Models. In 28th International Conference on Principles of Distributed Systems (OPODIS 2024). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 324, pp. 18:1-18:16, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2024)

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@InProceedings{felber_et_al:LIPIcs.OPODIS.2024.18,
  author =	{Felber, Stephan and Rincon Galeana, Hugo},
  title =	{{Stabilizing Consensus Is Impossible in Lossy Iterated Immediate Snapshot Models}},
  booktitle =	{28th International Conference on Principles of Distributed Systems (OPODIS 2024)},
  pages =	{18:1--18:16},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-360-7},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{324},
  editor =	{Bonomi, Silvia and Galletta, Letterio and Rivi\`{e}re, Etienne and Schiavoni, Valerio},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.OPODIS.2024.18},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-225544},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.OPODIS.2024.18},
  annote =	{Keywords: distributed systems, dynamic networks, dynamic graphs, message adversaries, stabilizing consensus, asynchronous message passing}
}

@InProceedings{felber_et_al:LIPIcs.OPODIS.2024.18,
  author =	{Felber, Stephan and Rincon Galeana, Hugo},
  title =	{{Stabilizing Consensus Is Impossible in Lossy Iterated Immediate Snapshot Models}},
  booktitle =	{28th International Conference on Principles of Distributed Systems (OPODIS 2024)},
  pages =	{18:1--18:16},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-360-7},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{324},
  editor =	{Bonomi, Silvia and Galletta, Letterio and Rivi\`{e}re, Etienne and Schiavoni, Valerio},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.OPODIS.2024.18},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-225544},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.OPODIS.2024.18},
  annote =	{Keywords: distributed systems, dynamic networks, dynamic graphs, message adversaries, stabilizing consensus, asynchronous message passing}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LITES.8.2.2

Swarms of Mobile Robots: Towards Versatility with Safety

Authors: Pierre Courtieu, Lionel Rieg, Sébastien Tixeuil, and Xavier Urbain

Published in: LITES, Volume 8, Issue 2 (2022): Special Issue on Distributed Hybrid Systems. Leibniz Transactions on Embedded Systems, Volume 8, Issue 2

Abstract

We present Pactole, a formal framework to design and prove the correctness of protocols (or the impossibility of their existence) that target mobile robotic swarms. Unlike previous approaches, our methodology unifies in a single formalism the execution model, the problem specification, the protocol, and its proof of correctness. The Pactole framework makes use of the Coq proof assistant, and is specially targeted at protocol designers and problem specifiers, so that a common unambiguous language is used from the very early stages of protocol development. We stress the underlying framework design principles to enable high expressivity and modularity, and provide concrete examples about how the Pactole framework can be used to tackle actual problems, some previously addressed by the Distributed Computing community, but also new problems, while being certified correct.

Cite as

Pierre Courtieu, Lionel Rieg, Sébastien Tixeuil, and Xavier Urbain. Swarms of Mobile Robots: Towards Versatility with Safety. In LITES, Volume 8, Issue 2 (2022): Special Issue on Distributed Hybrid Systems. Leibniz Transactions on Embedded Systems, Volume 8, Issue 2, pp. 02:1-02:36, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2022)

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@Article{courtieu_et_al:LITES.8.2.2,
  author =	{Courtieu, Pierre and Rieg, Lionel and Tixeuil, S\'{e}bastien and Urbain, Xavier},
  title =	{{Swarms of Mobile Robots: Towards Versatility with Safety}},
  journal =	{Leibniz Transactions on Embedded Systems},
  pages =	{02:1--02:36},
  ISSN =	{2199-2002},
  year =	{2022},
  volume =	{8},
  number =	{2},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LITES.8.2.2},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-192942},
  doi =		{10.4230/LITES.8.2.2},
  annote =	{Keywords: distributed algorithm, mobile autonomous robots, formal proof}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2022.10

Holistic Verification of Blockchain Consensus

Authors: Nathalie Bertrand, Vincent Gramoli, Igor Konnov, Marijana Lazić, Pierre Tholoniat, and Josef Widder

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 246, 36th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2022)

Abstract

Blockchain has recently attracted the attention of the industry due, in part, to its ability to automate asset transfers. It requires distributed participants to reach a consensus on a block despite the presence of malicious (a.k.a. Byzantine) participants. Malicious participants exploit regularly weaknesses of these blockchain consensus algorithms, with sometimes devastating consequences. In fact, these weaknesses are quite common and are well illustrated by the flaws in various blockchain consensus algorithms [Pierre Tholoniat and Vincent Gramoli, 2019]. Paradoxically, until now, no blockchain consensus has been holistically verified. In this paper, we remedy this paradox by model checking for the first time a blockchain consensus used in industry. We propose a holistic approach to verify the consensus algorithm of the Red Belly Blockchain [Tyler Crain et al., 2021], for any number n of processes and any number f < n/3 of Byzantine processes. We decompose directly the algorithm pseudocode in two parts - an inner broadcast algorithm and an outer decision algorithm - each modelled as a threshold automaton [Igor Konnov et al., 2017], and we formalize their expected properties in linear-time temporal logic. We then automatically check the inner broadcasting algorithm, under a carefully identified fairness assumption. For the verification of the outer algorithm, we simplify the model of the inner algorithm by relying on its proven properties. Doing so, we formally verify, for any parameter, not only the safety properties of the Red Belly Blockchain consensus but also its liveness in less than 70 seconds.

Cite as

Nathalie Bertrand, Vincent Gramoli, Igor Konnov, Marijana Lazić, Pierre Tholoniat, and Josef Widder. Holistic Verification of Blockchain Consensus. In 36th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2022). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 246, pp. 10:1-10:24, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2022)

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@InProceedings{bertrand_et_al:LIPIcs.DISC.2022.10,
  author =	{Bertrand, Nathalie and Gramoli, Vincent and Konnov, Igor and Lazi\'{c}, Marijana and Tholoniat, Pierre and Widder, Josef},
  title =	{{Holistic Verification of Blockchain Consensus}},
  booktitle =	{36th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2022)},
  pages =	{10:1--10:24},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-255-6},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2022},
  volume =	{246},
  editor =	{Scheideler, Christian},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2022.10},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-172019},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2022.10},
  annote =	{Keywords: Model checking, automata, logic, byzantine failure}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.CONCUR.2021.15

Guard Automata for the Verification of Safety and Liveness of Distributed Algorithms

Authors: Nathalie Bertrand, Bastien Thomas, and Josef Widder

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 203, 32nd International Conference on Concurrency Theory (CONCUR 2021)

Abstract

Distributed algorithms typically run over arbitrary many processes and may involve unboundedly many rounds, making the automated verification of their correctness challenging. Building on domain theory, we introduce a framework that abstracts infinite-state distributed systems that represent distributed algorithms into finite-state guard automata. The soundness of the approach corresponds to the Scott-continuity of the abstraction, which relies on the assumption that the distributed algorithms are layered. Guard automata thus enable the verification of safety and liveness properties of distributed algorithms.

Cite as

Nathalie Bertrand, Bastien Thomas, and Josef Widder. Guard Automata for the Verification of Safety and Liveness of Distributed Algorithms. In 32nd International Conference on Concurrency Theory (CONCUR 2021). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 203, pp. 15:1-15:17, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2021)

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@InProceedings{bertrand_et_al:LIPIcs.CONCUR.2021.15,
  author =	{Bertrand, Nathalie and Thomas, Bastien and Widder, Josef},
  title =	{{Guard Automata for the Verification of Safety and Liveness of Distributed Algorithms}},
  booktitle =	{32nd International Conference on Concurrency Theory (CONCUR 2021)},
  pages =	{15:1--15:17},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-203-7},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2021},
  volume =	{203},
  editor =	{Haddad, Serge and Varacca, Daniele},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.CONCUR.2021.15},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-143926},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.CONCUR.2021.15},
  annote =	{Keywords: Verification, Distributed algorithms, Domain theory}
}

Document

Short Paper

DOI: 10.4230/OASIcs.FMBC.2020.10

Formal Specification and Model Checking of the Tendermint Blockchain Synchronization Protocol (Short Paper)

Authors: Sean Braithwaite, Ethan Buchman, Igor Konnov, Zarko Milosevic, Ilina Stoilkovska, Josef Widder, and Anca Zamfir

Published in: OASIcs, Volume 84, 2nd Workshop on Formal Methods for Blockchains (FMBC 2020)

Abstract

Blockchain synchronization is one of the core protocols of Tendermint blockchains. In this short paper, we discuss our recent efforts in formal specification of the protocol and its implementation, as well as some initial model checking results. We demonstrate that the protocol quality and understanding can be improved by writing specifications and model checking them.

Cite as

Sean Braithwaite, Ethan Buchman, Igor Konnov, Zarko Milosevic, Ilina Stoilkovska, Josef Widder, and Anca Zamfir. Formal Specification and Model Checking of the Tendermint Blockchain Synchronization Protocol (Short Paper). In 2nd Workshop on Formal Methods for Blockchains (FMBC 2020). Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs), Volume 84, pp. 10:1-10:8, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2020)

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@InProceedings{braithwaite_et_al:OASIcs.FMBC.2020.10,
  author =	{Braithwaite, Sean and Buchman, Ethan and Konnov, Igor and Milosevic, Zarko and Stoilkovska, Ilina and Widder, Josef and Zamfir, Anca},
  title =	{{Formal Specification and Model Checking of the Tendermint Blockchain Synchronization Protocol}},
  booktitle =	{2nd Workshop on Formal Methods for Blockchains (FMBC 2020)},
  pages =	{10:1--10:8},
  series =	{Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-169-6},
  ISSN =	{2190-6807},
  year =	{2020},
  volume =	{84},
  editor =	{Bernardo, Bruno and Marmsoler, Diego},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/OASIcs.FMBC.2020.10},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-134238},
  doi =		{10.4230/OASIcs.FMBC.2020.10},
  annote =	{Keywords: Blockchain, Fault Tolerance, Byzantine Faults, Model Checking}
}

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