DeepGo: Predictive Directed Greybox Fuzzing
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Abstract (arXiv)
The state-of-the-art DGF techniques redefine and optimize the fitness metric to reach the target sites precisely and quickly. However, optimizations for fitness metrics are mainly based on heuristic algorithms, which usually rely on historical execution information and lack foresight on paths that have not been exercised yet. Thus, those hard-to-execute paths with complex constraints would hinder DGF from reaching the targets, making DGF less efficient. In this paper, we propose DeepGo, a predictive directed grey-box fuzzer that can combine historical and predicted information to steer DGF to reach the target site via an optimal path. We first propose the path transition model, which models DGF as a process of reaching the target site through specific path transition sequences. The new seed generated by mutation would cause the path transition, and the path corresponding to the high-reward path transition sequence indicates a high likelihood of reaching the target site through it. Then, to predict the path transitions and the corresponding rewards, we use deep neural networks to construct a Virtual Ensemble Environment (VEE), which gradually imitates the path transition model and predicts the rewards of path transitions that have not been taken yet. To determine the optimal path, we develop a Reinforcement Learning for Fuzzing (RLF) model to generate the transition sequences with the highest sequence rewards. The RLF model can combine historical and predicted path transitions to generate the optimal path transition sequences, along with the policy to guide the mutation strategy of fuzzing. Finally, to exercise the high-reward path transition sequence, we propose the concept of an action group, which comprehensively optimizes the critical steps of fuzzing to realize the optimal path to reach the target efficiently.
Key facts. No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 25 of its 84 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 29 Jul 2025.
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25 of 84 references.
References · 25
- 2018Soft Actor-Critic: Off-Policy Maximum Entropy Deep Reinforcement Learning with a Stochastic Actorcited by 4,885
- 2013Playing Atari with Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 3,274
- 2013Deep Inside Convolutional Networks: Visualising Image Classification Models and Saliency Mapscited by 2,371
- 2015Deep Reinforcement Learning with Double Q-learningcited by 1,745
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- 2018Deep Reinforcement Learning in a Handful of Trials using Probabilistic Dynamics Modelscited by 774
- 2019When to Trust Your Model: Model-Based Policy Optimizationcited by 773
- 2014Understanding Deep Image Representations by Inverting Themcited by 403
- 2020Unit Test Case Generation with Transformers and Focal Contextcited by 118
- 2017Learn&Fuzz: Machine Learning for Input Fuzzingcited by 23
- 2017FairFuzz: Targeting Rare Branches to Rapidly Increase Greybox Fuzz Testing Coveragecited by 20
- 2018NEUZZ: Efficient Fuzzing with Neural Program Smoothingcited by 19
13 more
- 2018Angora: Efficient Fuzzing by Principled Searchcited by 15
- 2015Regret Analysis of the Finite-Horizon Gittins Index Strategy for Multi-Armed Banditscited by 9
- 2020MTFuzz: Fuzzing with a Multi-Task Neural Networkcited by 6
- 2017Not all bytes are equal: Neural byte sieve for fuzzingcited by 5
- 2020UNIFUZZ: A Holistic and Pragmatic Metrics-Driven Platform for Evaluating Fuzzerscited by 5
- 2022MC2: Rigorous and Efficient Directed Greybox Fuzzingcited by 5
- 2018Badger: Complexity Analysis with Fuzzing and Symbolic Executioncited by 4
- 2019Matryoshka: Fuzzing Deeply Nested Branchescited by 4
- 2020Binary-level Directed Fuzzing for Use-After-Free Vulnerabilitiescited by 4
- 2019SAVIOR: Towards Bug-Driven Hybrid Testingcited by 3
- 2020MUZZ: Thread-aware Grey-box Fuzzing for Effective Bug Hunting in Multithreaded Programscited by 3
- 2024MobFuzz: Adaptive Multi-objective Optimization in Gray-box Fuzzingcited by 2
- 2020HotFuzz: Discovering Algorithmic Denial-of-Service Vulnerabilities Through Guided Micro-Fuzzingcited by 1
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