Tactical Bus Fuzzer with Crash Analyzer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Military and commercial tactical buses, such as those using MILSTD 1553 and ARINC 429 protocols, face growing concerns regarding cyber-attack vulnerabilities, and existing testing methods are inadequate for detecting and analyzing system crashes caused by random inputs without access to source code.
Innovation Solution
A tactical bus fuzzer system that records data from a source device, creates fuzzed messages by manipulating the recorded data, and sends them to a target device over the bus, monitoring for anomalous responses to identify vulnerabilities, allowing for refinement of the fuzzed messages to determine the specific inputs causing system crashes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If fuzzing is performed as a black box technique without access to source code, then the testing method is simpler and more widely applicable, but the ability to determine the reasons for system crashes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (crash analyzer or monitor) that sits between the fuzzer and the system under test. This intermediary captures crash information, analyzes it, and provides detailed feedback about the cause of crashes without requiring access to the source code of the system being tested. The intermediary acts as a mediator that bridges the gap between black-box fuzzing and white-box analysis.
2Adaptability or versatility
If random inputs are sent to discover vulnerabilities, then the coverage of potential attack vectors increases, but the time and resources required for testing increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing static analysis and generating test cases before actual fuzzing execution. The system prepares fuzzing inputs, defines test scenarios, and sets up monitoring mechanisms in advance. This preliminary preparation reduces the time required during actual fuzzing execution while maintaining comprehensive vulnerability coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where crash information and anomaly detection results are fed back into the fuzzing process. This feedback allows the system to learn from previous crashes, adjust test case generation strategies, and focus on high-risk areas, thereby reducing overall testing time while maintaining thorough coverage.
3Measurement precision
If detailed monitoring of target device responses is performed, then the precision of vulnerability identification increases, but the complexity of the testing system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the testing system into distinct modular components: the fuzzer for generating test inputs, the monitor for capturing responses, the crash analyzer for processing crash information, and the vulnerability database for storing results. Each component has a specific function and can be independently configured or replaced, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high precision in vulnerability identification.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and computer-readable medium for testing a target device. A fuzzer and a monitor are connected to the target device via a tactical bus. The fuzzer records messages sent from a source device to the target device over the tactical bus, creates a first fuzzed message having a data structure of the recorded message, and sends the first fuzzed message to the target device over the tactical bus. A fuzzer monitor monitors the target device for an anomalous response to the first fuzzed message, and determines a vulnerability of the target device from the response to the first fuzzed message.