Objective
Computer systems have become critical to modern society, but they are pervasively subject to security flaws and attacks, with large-scale exposures of confidential data, denial-of-service and ransom attacks, and the threat of nation-state attackers: they are trusted, but are far from trustworthy. This is especially important for the systems software enforces what protection, eg the hypervisors that use the underlying hardware to isolate components from each other.
ERC AdG ELVER has developed mathematical models of the *systems features* of the underlying hardware: working with Arm to characterise virtual memory, instruction/data cache maintenance, and exceptions. This opens up a new possibility: using those not just for correctness proof (which remains challenging), but also for *lightweight methods to improve the assurance of critical systems software*, by checking that such software obeys the subtle disciplines required by the hardware. Targets include the pKVM hypervisor being developed by Google to protect sensitive data on all Android phones, and similar hypervisors for the Cloud. Building on experience with a prototype checker, which has already found subtle bugs, ELVER-CHECK will prototype, assess, and demonstrate how to use executable checkers based on our mathematical models of systems architecture to improve conventional development of critical systems software, to increase assurance that it provides the intended security, at lower cost than full verification.
ELVER-CHECK thus addresses an important aspect of the societal problem of the pervasive insecurity of our critical software infrastructure.
This is a new opportunity: conventional software testing, analysis, and verification methods assume that memory is a simple mapping from locations to values, but they are oblivious to the subtle ways in that is simply not true for systems software, and to the disciplines that it must follow to actually enforce the intended security properties.
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.
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.
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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)
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.
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-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-POC
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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.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.