Title
A Precise Yet Efficient Memory Model For C
Abstract
Verification for OO programs typically starts from a strongly typed object model in which distinct objects/fields are guaranteed not to overlap. This model simplifies verification by eliminating all ''uninteresting'' aliasing and allowing the use of more efficient frame axioms. Unfortunately, this model is unsound and incomplete for languages like C, where ''objects'' can overlap almost arbitrarily. Sound verification for C therefore typically starts from an untyped memory model, where memory is just an array of bytes. The untyped model, however, adds substantial annotation burden, and reasoning in the untyped model is computationally expensive. We propose a sound, typed semantics for C that provides the annotational and computational advantages of the typed object model while remaining sound and complete for C. We maintain a predicate identifying where the ''valid'' objects are, and introduce invariants and proof obligations that guarantee that the valid objects are suitably antialiased, and that (almost) all objects appearing in the program are valid. We describe the implementation of this approach in VCC (a sound verifier for C being used to verify the Microsoft Hypervisor) and the resulting performance gains.
Year
DOI
Venue
2009
10.1016/j.entcs.2009.09.061
Electr. Notes Theor. Comput. Sci.
Keywords
Field
DocType
sound verifier,valid object,efficient memory,c programming language,deductive program verification,sound verification,separated by commas.,memory models,untyped memory model,distinct object,please list keywords from your paper here,oo program,model simplifies verification,untyped model,object model,microsoft hypervisor,memory model
Byte,Programming language,Axiom,Computer science,Object model,Hypervisor,Theoretical computer science,Memory model,Invariant (mathematics),Predicate (grammar),Semantics
Journal
Volume
ISSN
Citations 
254,
Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science
35
PageRank 
References 
Authors
2.00
10
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Ernie Cohen166133.40
Michał Moskal236015.83
Stephan Tobies31599158.86
Wolfram Schulte42342153.40