How to transform an analyzer into a verifier

Abstract

In this paper we push forward the idea of applying the abstract interpretation concepts to the problem of verification of programs. We consider the theory of abstract verification as proposed in [5] and we show how it is possible to transform static analyzers with some suitable properties to obtain automatic verification tools based on sufficient verification conditions. We prove that the approach is general and flexible by showing three different verification tools based on different domains of types for functional, logic and CLP programming. The verifier for functional programs is obtained from a static analyzer which implements one of the polymorphic type domains introduced by Cousot [8]. The one for logic programs is obtained from a static analyzer on a type domain designed by Codish and Lagoon [3], while the verifier for CLP programs is obtained from the type analyzer described in [15].