The Role of Abstract Interpretation in Formal Methods

In computer science and software engineering, formal methods are mathematically-based techniques for the specification, development and verification of software and hardware systems. They therefore establish the satisfaction of a specification by a system semantics. Abstract interpretation is a theory of sound approximation of mathematical structures, in particular those involved in the description of the behavior of computer systems. It allows the systematic derivation of sound methods and algorithms for approximating undecidable or highly complex problems in various areas of computer science (semantics, verification and proof, model- checking, static analysis, program transformation and optimization, typing, software steganography, etc.). Its main current application is on the safety and security of complex hardware and software computer systems.