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Verify core::num::flt2dec memory safety (challenge #28)#601

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MavenRain:verify-flt2dec-challenge-28
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Verify core::num::flt2dec memory safety (challenge #28)#601
MavenRain wants to merge 4 commits into
model-checking:mainfrom
MavenRain:verify-flt2dec-challenge-28

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@MavenRain

@MavenRain MavenRain commented Jun 15, 2026

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Towards #524 (challenge #28: core::num::flt2dec).

What this proves

Kani harnesses for all 12 target functions, proving each unsafe block touches
only initialized, in-bounds memory:

  • flt2dec/mod.rs: digits_to_dec_str, digits_to_exp_str,
    to_shortest_str,
    to_shortest_exp_str, to_exact_exp_str, to_exact_fixed_str
  • strategy/grisu.rs: format_exact_opt, format_shortest_opt,
    format_exact,
    format_shortest
  • strategy/dragon.rs: format_exact, format_shortest

Approach

  • The buffer-safety obligation (assume_init over written cells, buf[i]
    in-bounds) is independent of the bignum/Fp values, so the arithmetic is
    abstracted by sound stubs; cmp/is_zero are nondeterministic so every
    control-flow path is explored. The format_exact/format_shortest wrappers
    are proven by stubbing their callees, which are themselves verified.
  • The shortest-mode loops have no explicit index guard; they terminate within
    MAX_SIG_DIGITS by the Grisu/Loitsch digit-count theorem (Loitsch, PLDI'10;
    Errol, POPL'16, Thm 5). CBMC cannot derive this number-theoretic bound, so it
    is cited as a cfg(kani) assume(i < MAX_SIG_DIGITS). The harnesses
    constrain
    inputs to the exact decode() image (minus == 1, plus ∈ {1,2},
    mant ≤ 2^54), which is the functions' true precondition (they are internal,
    only reached via decode() on a real f64) and is what makes the assume
    sound.

Caveats for review (transparency)

  • The two shortest-mode proofs are conditional on the cited digit-count
    theorem
    ; the rest is unconditional. The assume bounds the digit count
    (an input-precision property); buffer safety follows via the separate
    assert!(buf.len() >= MAX_SIG_DIGITS). Happy to strengthen this (e.g. tie the
    bound to the concrete max_kappa) or to discuss proving the theorem if
    preferred.
  • grisu::format_shortest_opt additionally assumes Fp::mul's documented output
    invariants (ordering minus ≤ v ≤ plus, normalized-mantissa bounds) that the
    cost-reducing stub would otherwise havoc.
  • Harnesses require -C debug-assertions=off (the debug_assert!s are
    digit-correctness, not memory safety). Please advise on the preferred CI
    wiring.

  Add Kani proof harnesses establishing the memory safety of all 12
  safe-functions-with-unsafe-bodies in core::num::flt2dec: the 6 formatting
  entry points (flt2dec/mod.rs) and the 6 Grisu/Dragon strategy functions
  (flt2dec/strategy/{grisu,dragon}.rs).

  Each unsafe block (MaybeUninit::assume_init_* and slice indexing) is proven
  to touch only initialized, in-bounds memory. The bignum/Fp arithmetic is
  abstracted via sound stubbing -- buffer safety is independent of the numeric
  values, and value inspection (cmp/is_zero) is made nondeterministic so all
  control-flow paths are explored.

  The shortest-mode functions (grisu::format_shortest_opt,
  dragon::format_shortest)
  have an implicit loop bound; their digit index is bounded by the Grisu/Loitsch
  digit-count theorem (a 53-bit-precision f64 has <= MAX_SIG_DIGITS = 17
  significant decimal digits), cited as a cfg(kani) assume because CBMC cannot
  derive it from the unwound arithmetic. The harnesses use the tight decode()
  precondition (the functions are internal and only ever receive a decode()
  result for a real f64), which is what makes that assume sound.

  All added annotations are cfg(kani) verification-only and compile out of normal
  builds. Harnesses require -C debug-assertions=off.

Signed-off-by: Onyeka Obi <softwareengineerasaservant@isurvivable.cv>
@MavenRain MavenRain force-pushed the verify-flt2dec-challenge-28 branch from a7ae3ea to e4e3297 Compare June 16, 2026 00:32
…ition-2 OOM)

  - Remove concrete dragon::check_format_exact: full unstubbed bignum (unwind 50)
    exhausted CBMC memory in the verify-std partition (ran ~6h, cancelled).
    format_exact buffer safety is already proven by check_format_exact_stub.
  - Run autoharness with debug-assertions off: the flt2dec harnesses stub the
    bignum/Fp arithmetic, making std debug_assert! digit-correctness checks
    (d<10, mant<scale) unprovable. Those are not memory-safety properties and are
    already dead in the verify-std job (--prove-safety-only). Keeps the two jobs
    consistent; monotonic (only removes checks).

Signed-off-by: Onyeka Obi <softwareengineerasaservant@isurvivable.cv>
@MavenRain MavenRain force-pushed the verify-flt2dec-challenge-28 branch from 98db9cd to e104d40 Compare June 17, 2026 00:53
  global flag

  e104d40 set RUSTFLAGS: -C debug-assertions=off on the autoharness job. That
  also disables overflow-checks, which made two unrelated heavy harnesses
  (slice align_to_u128, slice char check_pre_dec_end) blow past the 10-minute
  CBMC timeout (~6s with the checks on). Revert that env.

  The three Grisu digit-loop harnesses (check_format_shortest_opt,
  check_format_shortest_opt_norw, check_format_exact_opt) run the real digit
  loop while havoc-stubbing Fp::mul/cached_power, which makes std's
  value-dependent debug_assert! digit-correctness checks (q < 10,
  ten_kappa == 1) unprovable. They pass only with debug-assertions off, but
  verify-std runs with them on (run-kani.sh uses neither --prove-safety-only
  nor that flag), so check_format_shortest_opt_norw failed partition 2. There
  is no per-harness debug-assertions toggle and disabling it globally times out
  other harnesses, so drop these three.

  The remaining ten harnesses (wholesale-stub check_format_exact /
  check_format_shortest, the two dragon stubs, and the six string-formatting
  harnesses) prove buffer/init safety of the public flt2dec entry points and
  the dragon fallback, and all verify with debug-assertions on.

Signed-off-by: Onyeka Obi <softwareengineerasaservant@isurvivable.cv>
…bug-assertions ON

  The two dragon buffer-safety harnesses (check_format_shortest_stub,
  check_format_exact_stub) failed CI under the default verify-std config
  (debug-assertions ON): the havoc-stubbed Big arithmetic cannot discharge
  the value-dependent debug_assert!s reached in the digit loop:
    - debug_assert!(d < 10)        (format_shortest / format_exact)
    - debug_assert!(*x < *scale)   (div_rem_upto_16)
    - debug_assert!(mant < scale)  (format_exact)

  Fix: stub div_rem_upto_16 by its value contract (s_div_rem returns a digit
  < 10 and leaves the remainder havoced). div_rem_upto_16 is pure Big
  arithmetic with no unsafe and no buffer access, so abstracting it discharges
  the asserts without disabling debug-assertions and loses no memory-safety
  coverage.

  format_exact inlined a hand-written copy of div_rem_upto_16's 8-4-2-1
  extraction; replace it with a call to div_rem_upto_16 (behavior-identical)
  so the one stub covers both strategies.

  Verified locally with the pinned Kani 0.65.0: both harnesses SUCCESSFUL
  (0/492 and 0/568 checks failed).

Signed-off-by: Onyeka Obi <softwareengineerasaservant@isurvivable.cv>
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