Verification of a software program may be automated by receiving a program source file comprising program source code and at least one formal specification annotation, extracting the at least one formal specification annotation from the program source file, compiling the program source code and linking the compiled program and the at least one extracted formal specification annotation to create an executable program that includes at least one reference to an executable formal specification module. According to one aspect, a virtual machine includes a target virtual machine for executing one or more program implementation instructions, and a formal virtual machine for executing one or more formal specification modules corresponding to one or more program implementation instructions and configured to call a formal specification module, and to compare a first result obtained by executing the program implementation instructions with a second result obtained by the call to the formal specification module.