TitleFinding bugs in web applications using dynamic test generation and explicit state model checking
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2010
AuthorsArtzi S, Kieżun A, Dolby J, Tip F, Dig D, Paradkar A, Ernst MD
JournalIEEE Transactions on Software Engineering
Volume36
Pagination474–494
Date or Month PublishedJuly/August
AbstractWeb script crashes and malformed dynamically-generated web pages are common errors, and they seriously impact the usability of web applications. Current tools for web-page validation cannot handle the dynamically generated pages that are ubiquitous on today's Internet. We present a dynamic test generation technique for the domain of dynamic web applications. The technique utilizes both combined concrete and symbolic execution and explicit-state model checking. The technique generates tests automatically, runs the tests capturing logical constraints on inputs, and minimizes the conditions on the inputs to failing tests, so that the resulting bug reports are small and useful in finding and fixing the underlying faults. \par Our tool Apollo implements the technique for the PHP programming language. Apollo generates test inputs for a web application, monitors the application for crashes, and validates that the output conforms to the HTML specification. This paper presents Apollo's algorithms and implementation, and an experimental evaluation that revealed 673 faults in 6 PHP web applications.
Downloadshttps://homes.cs.washington.edu/~mernst/pubs/bugs-webapps-tse2010.pdf PDF
Citation KeyArtziKDTDPE2010