Patent ID: 8607352

Claim:
A method for classifying a code construct in a computer-based software application, the method comprising: seeding an analysis of an instruction code set of a computer-based software application with a seed for a seeding variable within the instruction code set, wherein the seed is an abstract value representation comprising a prefix portion having a known value that is not tainted and a suffix portion representing an unknown value that is tainted; performing the analysis, by operation of one or more computer processors, to a fixed point, thereby producing a fixed point solution; selecting an invariant from the fixed point solution, wherein the invariant represents at least one value pointed to by a classification variable in a code construct within the instruction code set; and classifying the code construct with a classification that is applicable to the invariant in accordance with an application criterion, comprising upon determining that a prefix portion of the invariant is not tainted, determining that the code construct is not tainted and classifying the code construct as not being a security vulnerability.