Specifying verified x86 software from scratch

Abstract: We present a simple framework for specifying and proving facts about the input/output behavior of ELF binary files on the x86-64 architecture. A strong emphasis has been placed on simplicity at all levels: the specification says only what it needs to about the target executable, the specification is performed inside a simple logic (equivalent to first-order Peano Arithmetic), and the verification language and proof checker are custom-designed to have only what is necessary to perform efficient general purpose verification. This forms a part of the Metamath Zero project, to build a minimal verifier that is capable of verifying its own binary. In this paper, we will present the specification of the dynamic semantics of x86 machine code, together with enough information about Linux system calls to perform simple IO.