Abstract interpretation of PEPA models

Abstract

This paper relates the fluid-flow semantics of the stochastic process algebra PEPA (Performance Evaluation Process Algebra) to the static analysis technique of abstract interpretation. The explanation in the paper is illustrated through the example of a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack which is being launched against a server. DDoS attacks are mounted by a large population of attackers, who are coordinating and working together in attacking a specific server. The scale of the attack is crucial to its success, but the resulting large number of states in the system makes it difficult to model and analyse using the conventional discrete-state interpretation of PEPA.