Bounded Model Checking

Definition ∞ Bounded model checking is a formal verification technique used to detect errors in software or hardware systems by examining their behavior within a limited scope. It systematically explores all possible states of a system up to a certain depth or bound to ascertain if specified properties hold true. This method is particularly useful for identifying concurrency bugs and other subtle defects that might escape traditional testing.
Context ∞ In the context of cryptocurrency, bounded model checking is increasingly applied to the auditing of smart contracts and blockchain protocols to ensure their security and correctness before deployment. News reports may discuss its use in finding vulnerabilities in new decentralized applications or in validating critical components of consensus mechanisms. The efficacy of this technique in preventing exploits and securing digital assets is a subject of ongoing technical discourse.