Bounded model checking of C++ programs based on the Qt cross‐platform framework. (2nd March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Monteiro, Felipe R.; Garcia, Mário A. P.; Cordeiro, Lucas C.; de Lima Filho, Eddie B.
• Is Part Of: Software testing, verification & reliability. Volume 27:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2017-03-02
• Subjects: bounded model checking -- formal verification -- Qt framework -- software engineering; Computer software -- Testing -- Periodicals; Computer software -- Verification -- Periodicals; Computer software -- Reliability -- Periodicals; 005.14
• DOI: 10.1002/stvr.1632
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-0833

Abstract

Summary: The software development process for embedded systems is getting faster and faster, which generally incurs an increase in the associated complexity. As a consequence, technology companies tend to invest in fast and automatic verification mechanisms, to create robust systems and reduce product recall rates. In addition, further development‐time reduction and system robustness can be achieved through cross‐platform frameworks, such as Qt, which favor the reliable port of software stacks to different devices. Based on that, the present paper proposes a simplified version of the Qt framework, which is integrated into a checker based on satisfiability modulo theories (SMT), known as the Efficient SMT‐based Context‐Bounded Model Checker, for verifying actual Qt‐based applications, with a success rate of 89%, for the developed benchmark suite. Furthermore, the simplified version of the Qt framework, named as Qt Operational Model, was also evaluated using other state‐of‐the‐art verifiers for C++ programs. In fact, Qt Operational Model was combined with 2 different verification approaches: explicit‐state model checking and also symbolic (bounded) model checking, during the experimental evaluation, which highlights its flexibility. The proposed methodology is the first one to formally verify Qt‐based applications, which has the potential to devise new directions for software verification of portable code. Abstract : This work describes a simplified version of the Qt framework, named Qt Operational Model, which is integrated into ESBMC++, a bounded model checker based on satisfiability modulo theories, to verify Qt‐based applications. Indeed, Qt Operational Model was combined with 2 different verification approaches: explicit state model checking and also symbolic model checking, during the experimental evaluation, which highlights its flexibility. The proposed methodology is the first one to formally verify Qt‐based applications, which has the potential to devise new directions for software verification of portable code.