Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Automated Repair of Security Errors in C Programs via Statistical Model Checking: A Proof of Concept

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Book cover Leveraging Applications of Formal Methods, Verification and Validation. Verification Principles (ISoLA 2022)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 13701))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

One major challenge in software development is finding and repairing programming errors. Recently, formal methods such as model checking have become a popular approach to finding errors due to their formal guarantees about error status and evidence of the error in the form of a trace. Another recently growing area, automated program repair, aims to fix errors using automated approaches that do not require programmer intervention. This paper gives a proof of concept that one can combine these two areas using state-of-the-art approaches in both: the discovery of program errors and traces exhibiting these errors; and automated program repair building on test cases generated from traces. This naturally links together the discovery, learning, repairing, and validation of repair in a single package.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    https://github.com/csvl/bugs.

References

  1. GDB: The GNU Project Debugger. https://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/. Accessed 14 Oct 2020

  2. Baier, C., Katoen, J.-P.: Principles of Model Checking. MIT Press, Cambridge (2008)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  3. Basile, D., ter Beek, M.H., Legay, A.: Strategy synthesis for autonomous driving in a moving block railway system with Uppaal Stratego. In: Gotsman, A., Sokolova, A. (eds.) FORTE 2020. LNCS, vol. 12136, pp. 3–21. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50086-3_1

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. Boyer, B., Corre, K., Legay, A., Sedwards, S.: PLASMA-lab: a flexible, distributable statistical model checking library. In: Joshi, K., Siegle, M., Stoelinga, M., D’Argenio, P.R. (eds.) QEST 2013. LNCS, vol. 8054, pp. 160–164. Springer, Heidelberg (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40196-1_12

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  5. Chenoy, A., Duchene, F., Given-Wilson, T., Legay, A.: C-SMC: a hybrid statistical model checking and concrete runtime engine for analyzing C programs. In: Laarman, A., Sokolova, A. (eds.) SPIN 2021. LNCS, vol. 12864, pp. 101–119. Springer, Cham (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84629-9_6

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  6. Clarke, E.M., Donzé, A., Legay, A.: On simulation-based probabilistic model checking of mixed-analog circuits. Formal Methods Syst. Des. 36(2), 97–113 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Clarke, E.M., Henzinger, T.A., Veith, H.: Introduction to model checking. In: Clarke, E., Henzinger, T., Veith, H., Bloem, R. (eds.) Handbook of Model Checking, pp. 1–26. Springer, Cham (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10575-8_1

    Chapter  MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. David, A., Larsen, K.G., Legay, A., Mikucionis, M., Poulsen, D.B.: Uppaal SMC tutorial. Int. J. Softw. Tools Technol. Transf. 17(4), 397–415 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. David, A., Larsen, K.G., Legay, A., Mikucionis, M., Poulsen, D.B., Sedwards, S.: Statistical model checking for biological systems. Int. J. Softw. Tools Technol. Transf. 17(3), 351–367 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Godefroid, P., Klarlund, N., Sen, K.: DART: directed automated random testing. In: Sarkar, V., Hall, M.W. (eds.) Proceedings of the ACM SIGPLAN 2005 Conference on Programming Language Design and Implementation, Chicago, IL, USA, 12–15 June 2005, pp. 213–223. ACM (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Goues, C.L., Pradel, M., Roychoudhury, A., Chandra, S.: Automatic program repair. IEEE Softw. 38(4), 22–27 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Havelund, K.: A scala DSL for rete-based runtime verification. In: Legay, A., Bensalem, S. (eds.) RV 2013. LNCS, vol. 8174, pp. 322–327. Springer, Heidelberg (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40787-1_19

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  13. Havelund, K., Roşu, G.: Synthesizing monitors for safety properties. In: Katoen, J.-P., Stevens, P. (eds.) TACAS 2002. LNCS, vol. 2280, pp. 342–356. Springer, Heidelberg (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46002-0_24

    Chapter  MATH  Google Scholar 

  14. Hérault, T., Lassaigne, R., Magniette, F., Peyronnet, S.: Approximate probabilistic model checking. In: Steffen, B., Levi, G. (eds.) VMCAI 2004. LNCS, vol. 2937, pp. 73–84. Springer, Heidelberg (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-24622-0_8

    Chapter  MATH  Google Scholar 

  15. Hoeffding, W.: Probability Inequalities for sums of Bounded Random Variables. In: Fisher, N.I., Sen, P.K. (eds.) The Collected Works of Wassily Hoeffding, pp. 409–426. Springer, New York (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0865-5_26

    Chapter  MATH  Google Scholar 

  16. Jha, S.K., Clarke, E.M., Langmead, C.J., Legay, A., Platzer, A., Zuliani, P.: A Bayesian approach to model checking biological systems. In: Degano, P., Gorrieri, R. (eds.) CMSB 2009. LNCS, vol. 5688, pp. 218–234. Springer, Heidelberg (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03845-7_15

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  17. Karakaya, K., Bodden, E.: Sootfx: a static code feature extraction tool for java and android. In: 21st IEEE International Working Conference on Source Code Analysis and Manipulation, SCAM 2021, Luxembourg, 27–28 September 2021, pp. 181–186. IEEE (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kulczynski, M., Legay, A., Nowotka, D., Poulsen, D.B.: Analysis of source code using UPPAAL. In: Proença, J., Paskevich, A. (eds.) Proceedings of the 6th Workshop on Formal Integrated Development Environment, F-IDE@NFM 2021, Held online, 24–25th May 2021. EPTCS, vol. 338, pp. 31–38 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Legay, A., Delahaye, B., Bensalem, S.: Statistical model checking: an overview. In: Barringer, H., et al. (eds.) RV 2010. LNCS, vol. 6418, pp. 122–135. Springer, Heidelberg (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-16612-9_11

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  20. Legay, A., Lukina, A., Traonouez, L.M., Yang, J., Smolka, S.A., Grosu, R.: Statistical model checking. In: Steffen, B., Woeginger, G. (eds.) Computing and Software Science. LNCS, vol. 10000, pp. 478–504. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91908-9_23

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  21. Legay, A., Sedwards, S., Traonouez, L.-M.: Rare events for statistical model checking an overview. In: Larsen, K.G., Potapov, I., Srba, J. (eds.) RP 2016. LNCS, vol. 9899, pp. 23–35. Springer, Cham (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45994-3_2

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  22. Legay, A., Sedwards, S., Traonouez, L.-M.: Plasma lab: a modular statistical model checking platform. In: Margaria, T., Steffen, B. (eds.) ISoLA 2016. LNCS, vol. 9952, pp. 77–93. Springer, Cham (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47166-2_6

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  23. Liu, K., Koyuncu, A., Bissyandé, T.F., Kim, D., Klein, J., Traon, Y.L.: You cannot fix what you cannot find! an investigation of fault localization bias in benchmarking automated program repair systems. In: 12th IEEE Conference on Software Testing, Validation and Verification, ICST 2019, Xi’an, China, 22–27 April 2019, pp. 102–113. IEEE (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Ngo, V.C., Legay, A.: Formal verification of probabilistic SystemC models with statistical model checking. J. Softw. Evol. Process. 30(3), e1890 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Okamoto, M.: Some inequalities relating to the partial sum of binomial probabilities. Ann. Inst. Stat. Math. 10, 29–35 (1959)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  26. Palopoli, L., et al.: Navigation assistance and guidance of older adults across complex public spaces: the DALi approach. Intell. Serv. Robot. 8(2), 77–92 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Pnueli, A.: The temporal logic of programs. In: 18th Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science (SFCS 1977), Providence, RI, USA, pp. 46–57. IEEE, September 1977

    Google Scholar 

  28. Sutton, R.S., Barto, A.G.: Reinforcement Learning - An Introduction. Adaptive Computation and Machine Learning, MIT Press, Cambridge (1998)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  29. Tasharofi, S., Karmani, R.K., Lauterburg, S., Legay, A., Marinov, D., Agha, G.: TransDPOR: a novel dynamic partial-order reduction technique for testing actor programs. In: Giese, H., Rosu, G. (eds.) FMOODS/FORTE -2012. LNCS, vol. 7273, pp. 219–234. Springer, Heidelberg (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30793-5_14

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  30. ter Beek, M.H., Legay, A., Lluch-Lafuente, A., Vandin, A.: Quantitative security risk modeling and analysis with RisQFLan. Comput. Secur. 109, 102381 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Wald, A.: Sequential tests of statistical hypotheses. Ann. Math. Stat. 16(2), 117–186 (1945)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  32. Wen, W.: Software fault localization based on program slicing spectrum. In: Glinz, M., Murphy, G.C., Pezzè, M. (eds.) 34th International Conference on Software Engineering, ICSE 2012, 2–9 June 2012, Zurich, Switzerland, pp. 1511–1514. IEEE Computer Society (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Younes, H.L.S., Simmons, R.G.: Probabilistic verification of discrete event systems using acceptance sampling. In: Brinksma, E., Larsen, K.G. (eds.) CAV 2002. LNCS, vol. 2404, pp. 223–235. Springer, Heidelberg (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45657-0_17

    Chapter  MATH  Google Scholar 

  34. Younes, H.L.S.: Ymer: a statistical model checker. In: Etessami, K., Rajamani, S.K. (eds.) CAV 2005. LNCS, vol. 3576, pp. 429–433. Springer, Heidelberg (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/11513988_43

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  35. Zuliani, P., Platzer, A., Clarke, E.M.: Bayesian statistical model checking with application to stateflow/simulink verification. Formal Methods Syst. Des. 43(2), 338–367 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. UCLouvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium

    Khanh Huu The Dam, Fabien Duchene, Thomas Given-Wilson & Axel Legay

  2. University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg

    Maxime Cordy

Authors
  1. Khanh Huu The Dam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fabien Duchene
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Thomas Given-Wilson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Maxime Cordy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Axel Legay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fabien Duchene .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Limerick, CSIS and Lero, Limerick, Ireland

    Tiziana Margaria

  2. TU Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany

    Bernhard Steffen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Dam, K.H.T., Duchene, F., Given-Wilson, T., Cordy, M., Legay, A. (2022). Automated Repair of Security Errors in C Programs via Statistical Model Checking: A Proof of Concept. In: Margaria, T., Steffen, B. (eds) Leveraging Applications of Formal Methods, Verification and Validation. Verification Principles. ISoLA 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13701. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19849-6_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19849-6_17

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-19848-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-19849-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation