Symbolic runtime verification for monitoring under uncertainties and assumptions

TitleSymbolic runtime verification for monitoring under uncertainties and assumptions
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2026
AuthorsHipler, R, Kallwies, H, Leucker, M, Montali, M, Sánchez, C, Winkler, S
JournalInformation and Software Technology
Volume191
Pagination108004
ISSN0950-5849
KeywordsAssumptions, Lola, Runtime verification, Uncertainty
Abstract

Context: Runtime verification (RV) examines whether a system’s run satisfies its specification. This typically requires full knowledge of the run, but many applications face imprecise or missing inputs, e.g., from noisy sensors. Objective: We aim to develop a symbolic RV procedure that can handle noisy inputs and is able to exploit assumptions that encode background knowledge about the system in order to produce reliable monitoring verdicts. As the symbolic setting in general induces increasingly large monitoring states, we aim to identify fragments of specifications where monitoring requires constant memory. Methods: After providing a formalization of the problem at hand, we propose an RV procedure and give formal correctness statements and proofs. We empirically validate our approach in two realistic case studies. Results: The developed RV procedure is the first to effectively handle both uncertainties and assumptions in the expressive setting of Lola, and we identify relevant and expressive fragments where our procedure requires constant memory. Our evaluation witnesses the practical applicability of the approach. Conclusion: RV with uncertainties and assumptions is feasible in the Lola setting, and needs only constant memory in some relevant fragments. Future work will explore further theories and adapt the approach to specific applications.

URLhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095058492500343X
DOI10.1016/j.infsof.2025.108004
Bibtex: 
@article {1503,
	title = {Symbolic runtime verification for monitoring under uncertainties and assumptions},
	journal = {Information and Software Technology},
	volume = {191},
	year = {2026},
	pages = {108004},
	abstract = {<p>Context: Runtime verification (RV) examines whether a system{\textquoteright}s run satisfies its specification. This typically requires full knowledge of the run, but many applications face imprecise or missing inputs, e.g., from noisy sensors. Objective: We aim to develop a symbolic RV procedure that can handle noisy inputs and is able to exploit assumptions that encode background knowledge about the system in order to produce reliable monitoring verdicts. As the symbolic setting in general induces increasingly large monitoring states, we aim to identify fragments of specifications where monitoring requires constant memory. Methods: After providing a formalization of the problem at hand, we propose an RV procedure and give formal correctness statements and proofs. We empirically validate our approach in two realistic case studies. Results: The developed RV procedure is the first to effectively handle both uncertainties and assumptions in the expressive setting of Lola, and we identify relevant and expressive fragments where our procedure requires constant memory. Our evaluation witnesses the practical applicability of the approach. Conclusion: RV with uncertainties and assumptions is feasible in the Lola setting, and needs only constant memory in some relevant fragments. Future work will explore further theories and adapt the approach to specific applications.</p>
},
	keywords = {Assumptions, Lola, Runtime verification, Uncertainty},
	issn = {0950-5849},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2025.108004},
	url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095058492500343X},
	author = {Raik Hipler and Hannes Kallwies and Martin Leucker and Marco Montali and C{\'e}sar S{\'a}nchez and Sarah Winkler}
}