Current Activities

Textbook on computer security
Security Evaluations
Spreadsheet CPU simulation
Multilevel Security
High assurance systems
Evolution of passwords
Computer Architecture - Whirlwind block diagrams

Contact Information

E-mail: resmith@stthomas.edu

Phone (USA): 651-962-5395

See my UST home page for my office hours and for other contact information.

Talks and Writings

These reside on my Cryptosmith site.

• Books
• Papers and Other Publications
• Talks On-line
• Cryptography Glossary

Multilevel Security

This is more of a professional interest that grows out of my work on high assurance systems. Click here for an introduction to multilevel security.

Security Evaluations

I recently updated a survey of security product evaluations and am publishing an article on the results. Click here for details.

Spreadsheet CPU

I've produced a CPU cycle simulator that runs from an Excel spreadsheet. It gives a simple view of computer architecture and instruction set execution.

• Spreadsheet CPU
• SimpleCPU

High Assurance Systems

I have been collecting materials on the development of computing systems intended to meet the "A1" evaluation requirements of the old Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria. This may yield a historical review of high assurance system architecture.

Whirlwind Block Diagrams

I can honestly say I learned computer architecture by studying the Whirlwind Computer block diagrams when I was an undergrad. The Whirlwind was IMHO the first "real" computer design. It was certainly the first design that reallly "stuck" - you see it in all of IBM's and DEC's early computers.

Evolution of Passwords

While developing my book Authentication, I collected stories from several players in the original development of the password concept. This information would probably yield an interesting short article on the topic.