Title :
Software Assumptions Lead to Preventable Errors
Author :
Steingruebl, Andy ; Peterson, Gunnar
Author_Institution :
PayPal, San Jose, CA, USA
Abstract :
Undocumented assumptions are often the cause of serious software system failure. Thus, to reduce such failures, developers must become better at discovering and documenting their assumptions. In this article, we focus on common categories of assumptions in software, discuss methods for recognizing when developers are making them, and recommend techniques for documenting them.
Keywords :
security of data; software reliability; software assumption; software system failure; Control systems; Data security; Documentation; Information security; Packaging; Permission; Runtime; Service oriented architecture; Software systems; Web services; Building security in; assumptions; software development;
Journal_Title :
Security & Privacy, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/MSP.2009.107
