Verification, Model Checking, and Abstract Interpretation

We present an approach enabling end-users to prove security properties of the Java bytecode by statically analysing the code itself, thus eliminating the run time check for the access permission. The approach is based on the combination of two well-known techniques: abstract interpretation and model checking. By means of an operational abstract semantics of the bytecode, we built a finite transition system embodying security informations and abstracting from actual values. Then we model check it against some formulae expressing security properties. We use the SMV model checker. A main point of the paper is the definition of the properties that the abstract semantics must satisfy to ensure the absence of security leakages.