Searching for software diversity: attaining artificial diversity through program synthesis

Abstract

A means of attaining richer, more comprehensive forms of software diversity on a mass scale is proposed through leveraging and repurposing a closely related, yet heretofore untapped, line of computer science research---automatic program synthesis. It is argued that the search-based methodologies presently used for obtaining implementations from specifications can be broadened relatively easily to a search for many candidate solutions, potentially diversifying the software monoculture. Small-scale experiments using the Rosette synthesis tool offer preliminary support for this proposed approach. But the possible rewards are not without danger: It is argued that the same approach can power a dangerous new level of sophistication for malware mutation and reactively adaptive software threats.