This is a detailed and highly technical discussion of a proposed security solution for portable devices such as personal digital assistants and mobile telephones. It appears to be aimed at designers of software for such devices.

The paper begins with a description of the problem to be addressed: portable devices are becoming more numerous and are being used for more critical functions, but they lack the computing resources to support the increasingly sophisticated algorithms necessary for security and integrity. It goes on to describe in detail, with formal proofs, the authors’ proposed solution to the problem.

The solution is to use partially trusted security mediators to handle the computing-intensive part of signature generation. The paper explores the practical and theoretical implications of the proposed solution.

The existing body of knowledge on which this paper is based is detailed. The academic style of referencing is used. Footnotes are used sparingly throughout. At about 25 pages, the paper is long enough to adequately cover the material. Because of its technical nature and detailed description, it is not light reading.

In summary, this work represents a significant contribution to the existing body of knowledge in an important and emerging area. It is recommended reading for those involved in developing software for portable devices.