White Papers

White Paper: An Introduction to MISRA C:2012

The latest update, MISRA C:2012, is being released in early 2013 and will provide support for ISO 9899:1999 (C99)
while retaining support for C90. The new language subset will help mitigate software-related risks for safetycritical
applications, while allowing programmers to spend more time coding and less time on compliance efforts.
In the updated language subset, rules have been made more precise so that the language subset will not prevent
reasonable uses or behaviours that have no undesirable consequences. In addition developers will now have
better guidance on rules enforcement, such as whether a rule defines a general behaviour across the project or
only specific cases.

White Paper: Using Dynamic Software Analysis to Support Medical Device Approval

In this paper, we look at a) how dynamic code analysis can support demonstrations of compliance with safety requirements, and b) key capabilities we should look for in dynamic analysis tools. We then present in appendices, to help with tool selection, tables mapping development activities with requirements in the IEC 62304 standard: and, to help with OS selection, a short description of OS characteristics that can facilitate the design, development and approval of safety-related software.

The introduction of RTCA/DO-331 Model based Development and Verification Supplement to DO-178C and DO-278A offers new opportunities to leverage the strengths of model based development under RTCA/DO-178C.

The LDRA tool suite is developed and certified to BS EN ISO 9001:2000. This comparison has used the MISRA-C:1998 standard.

The LDRA tool suite is developed and certified to BS EN ISO 9001:2000. This comparison has used the MISRA-C++:2008 standard.

Legacy code reuse might seem like a good idea, but what about when security and safety-critical risks are a factor? Legacy code is expected to function correctly, but structural testing provides a way to mitigate the unexpected.

This paper outlines a number of static analysis techniques that may be regarded as formal methods in the sense of being mathematically based. The techniques form part of a well-known, commercially available tool suite, the LDRA tool suite. Many customers who use the tool suite, particularly those in the avionics software industry, regularly use the techniques to conform to the standards of appropriate certification bodies. Such practitioners would not normally regard themselves as employing formal methods.

IEC 61508 is an international standard for safety related systems comprising of electrical and/or electronic and/or programmable electronic components. It is intended as a stand-alone standard and as a framework for the preparation of application sector standards. The purpose of this document is to demonstrate the areas where the LDRA tool suite contributes to the requirements of the IEC 61508 standard.