Iterative Specialisation of Horn Clauses

Abstract. We present a generic algorithm for solving Horn clauses through iterative specialisation. The algorithm is generic in the sense that it can be instantiated with any decidable fragment of Horn clauses, resulting in a solution scheme for general Horn clauses that guarantees soundness and termination, and furthermore, it presents sufficient criteria for completeness. We then demonstrate the use of the framework, by creating an instance of it, based on the decidable class H1, capable of solving a non-trivial protocol analysis problem based on the Yahalom protocol.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2008
• Where: ESOP
• Authors: Christoffer Rosenkilde Nielsen, Flemming Nielson, Hanne Riis Nielson
• Keywords: Decidable Fragment, ESOP 2008, General Horn Clauses, Horn Clauses, Programming Languages