Development of a Multi-purpose Fuzzer to Perform Assessment as Input to a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment and Analysis System

Abstract: Fuzzing is utilized for testing software and systems for cybersecurity risk via the automated adaptation of inputs. It facilitates the identification of software bugs and misconfigurations that may create vulnerabilities, cause abnormal operations or result in systems' failure. While many fuzzers have been purpose-developed for testing specific systems, this paper proposes a generalized fuzzer that provides a specific capability for testing software and cyber-physical systems which utilize configuration files. While this fuzzer facilitates the detection of system and software defects and vulnerabilities, it also facilitates the determination of the impact of settings on device operations. This later capability facilitates the modeling of the devices in a cybersecurity risk assessment and analysis system. This paper describes and assesses the performance of the proposed fuzzer technology. It also details how the fuzzer operates as part of the broader cybersecurity risk assessment and analysis system.