Project description
A novel robust verification system that constructs machine-checked mathematical proofs
Programming languages communicate instructions to a computer. Type systems (rules that assign a property called a type to programme constructs such as variables and functions) are employed to enable defining, detecting and preventing illegal programme states and prevent execution errors during runtime. Refinement types can be used by programmers to refine or narrow the meaning of a type. They are a promising verification technology, but they do not meet the soundness standards of satisfiability modulo theories solvers that only accept as safe those programmes that never violate their specifications. The EU-funded CRETE project will design a sound and practical refinement type system applicable to real-world applications such as cryptographic protocols.
Objective
Refinement types are a type-based, static verification technique designed to be practical. They enrich the types of an existing programming language with logical predicates to specify program properties and automatically validate these specifications using SMT solvers. Refinement types are a promising verification technology that in the last decade has spread to mainstream languages (e.g. Haskell, C, Ruby, Scala, and the ML-family) to verify sophisticated properties of real world applications, e.g. safety of cryptographic protocols, memory and resource usage, and web security.
The weakness of refinement types is that they do not meet the soundness standards set by theorem provers. A sound verification system accepts as safe only those programs that never violate their specifications. Refinement type checkers (e.g. Liquid Haskell, F*, and Stainless) approximately report five unsoundness bugs per year, as opposed to only one reported by the Coq theorem prover. This rarity of unsoundness bugs in Coq is unsurprising since Coq is designed to soundly machine check mathematical proofs. Coq's soundness design recipe though cannot be directly applied to refinement type checkers that aim to practically verify real world programs.
The goal of CRETE is to design a sound and practical refinement type system.
This is an ambitious goal that entails the development of a verification system that is as practical as refinement types and constructs machine-checked mathematical proofs. The system will be implemented on refinement type systems for mainstream languages (i.e. Haskell and Rust) and will be evaluated on real-world code, such as web applications and cryptographic protocols.
CRETE is high-risk since it aims to develop a novel program logic in which SMT automation co-exists with real world programming. Yet, CRETE is high-gain since it proposes a low-cost, high-profit approach to formal verification that aims to be integrated in mainstream software development.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2021-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
28223 Pozuelo De Alarcon
Spain
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