Firmware validation: challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Firmware validation is driven by imperatives and challenges distinct from those of application level software. In this tutorial we will survey the characteristics of firmware projects, focusing on those that make them particularly challenging and important to validate. Well look at the tasks accomplished using firmware, the environments in which it executes, and how firmware is shaped by the constraints imposed by the greater product development program in which it fits. Finally, well look at some of our experiences in firmware validation and the lessons weve learned from them. Specifically, well be looking for lessons that can help to guide the selection of problems to study and appropriate case studies on which to evaluate them.