Abstract: This paper presents a new method for comparing computation-properties of λ-terms typeable with intersection types with respect to terms typeable with Curry types. In particular, strong normalization and λ-definability are investigated. A translation is introduced from intersection typing derivations to Curry typeable terms; the main feature of the proposed technique is that the translation is preserved by β-reduction. This allows to simulate a computation starting from a term typeable in the intersection discipline by means of a computation starting from a simply typeable term. Our approach naturally leads to prove strong normalization in the intersection system by means of purely syntactical techniques. In addition, the presented method enables us to give a proof of a conjecture proposed by Leivant in 1990, namely that all functions uniformly definable using intersection types are already definable using Curry types.

Abstract: To support Model Based Design of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) many simulation based approaches to System Level Formal Verification (SLFV) have been devised. Basically, these are Bounded Model Checking approaches (since simulation horizon is of course bounded) relying on simulators to compute the system dynamics and thereby verify the given system properties. The main obstacle to simulation based SLFV is the large number of simulation scenarios to be considered and thus the huge amount of simulation time needed to complete the verification task. To save on computation time, simulation based SLFV approaches exploit the capability of simulators to save and restore simulation states. Essentially, such a time saving is obtained by optimising the simulation script defining the simulation activity needed to carry out the verification task. Although such approaches aim to (bounded) formal verification, as a matter of fact, the proof of correctness of the methods to optimise simulation scripts basically relies on an intuitive semantics for simulation scripting languages. This hampers the possibility of formally showing that the optimisations introduced to speed up the simulation activity do not actually omit checking of relevant behaviours for the system under verification. The aim of this paper is to fill the above gap by presenting an operational semantics for simulation scripting languages and by proving soundness and completeness properties for it. This, in turn, enables formal proofs of equivalence between unoptimised and optimised simulation scripts.

Abstract: We consider a type discipline for the Ambient Calculus that associates ambients with security levels and constrains them to be traversed by or opened in ambients of higher security clearance only. We present a bottom-up algorithm that, given an untyped process P, computes a minimal set of constraints on security levels such that all actions during runs of P are performed without violating the security level priorities. Such an algorithm appears to be a prerequisite to use type systems to ensure security properties in the web scenario.

Abstract: We model a timing attack on web privacy proposed by Felten and Schneider by using three different approaches: HL-Timed Automata, SMV model checker, and tSPA Process Algebra. Some comparative analysis on the three approaches is derived.

Abstract: We present a case study on automatic synthesis of control software from formal specifications for an industrial automation control system. Our aim is to compare the effectiveness (i.e. design effort and controller quality) of automatic controller synthesis from closed loop formal specifications with that of manual controller design, followed by automatic verification. Our experimental results show that for industrial automation control systems, automatic synthesis is a viable and profitable (especially as far as design effort is concerned) alternative to manual design, followed by automatic verification.