SMT-Based Bounded Model Checking of C++ Programs

Bounded model checking of C++ programs presents greater challenges than that of C programs due to the more complex features that the language offers, such as templates, containers, and exception handling. We present ESBMC++, a bounded model checker for C++ programs. It is based on an operational model, an abstract representation of the standard C++ libraries that conservatively approximates their semantics. ESBMC++ uses this to encode the verification conditions using different background theories supported by an SMT solver. Our experimental results show that our approach can handle a wider range of the C++ constructs than existing approaches and substantially reduces the verification time.