2024-25 Update

  1. My main research is in the domain of embedded firmware security, involving the reuse and development of tools to identify potential vulnerabilities in embedded firmware. Currently, I am developing a framework to leverage LibAFL fuzzer and the Renode emulator for fuzzing microcontroller firmware targeting hardware peripherals.
  2. My 2nd ongoing project is performing fuzzing on the microcontroller hardware peripherals directly at system level instead of involving emulator in between.
  3. My 3rd project is researching about how we can leverage LLM for fuzzing and in development of embedded software in general.

An Overview (During initial phase)

Welcome to an overview of my research, which focuses on fuzzing in embedded firmware. This provides a brief summary of the topics I will cover in my research, highlighting the significance of understanding fuzzing, exploring existing fuzzers, leveraging fuzzing in embedded firmware, and investigating the scenario of bare-metal firmware. Additionally, I will delve into the available fuzzing tools targeting embedded systems, discuss diverse fuzzing possibilities (i.e. focused more on fuzzing than emulation/rehosting), and the process of performing fuzzing on bare-metal firmware.

  1. Understanding Fuzzing: As part of this research, I will first acquire the conceptual understanding of fuzzing, which involves providing unexpected or mutated inputs to a program to discover vulnerabilities, crashes, or security weaknesses. Fuzzing is an essential technique in software testing that can uncover hidden bugs not identified through traditional testing methods.
  2. Existing Fuzzers: I will explore various existing fuzzers that have been developed to enhance the fuzzing process. By understanding their features and functionalities, researchers can choose the most suitable fuzzer for their fuzzing experiments.
  3. Leveraging Fuzzing in Embedded Firmware: Embedded firmware combines software and hardware, making it crucial to ensure security and reliability. I will explore how fuzzing is leveraged in embedded firmware to identify vulnerabilities and potential security breaches and corresponding challenges. By applying fuzzing techniques, we can enhance the integrity of embedded systems.
  4. Fuzzing in Bare-Metal Firmware: Bare-metal firmware refers to software that runs directly on hardware without an underlying operating system. I will examine the unique scenario of fuzzing in bare-metal firmware, exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with this context. Understanding the specific considerations of bare-metal firmware is vital for effective fuzzing in such environments.
  5. Existing Fuzzing Tools for Embedded Firmware: Few tools/research are available for fuzzing embedded firmware. I will explore these tools, discussing their capabilities, limitations, and potential use cases.
  6. Exploring Different Fuzzing Possibilities in the Embedded Domain: In this research, I aim to broaden the scope of fuzzing possibilities (i.e. focused more on fuzzing than emulation/rehosting). I will explore different existing fuzzers which can unveil vulnerabilities in embedded firmware.
  7. Performing Fuzzing on Bare-Metal Firmware: Finally, I will perform fuzzing on bare-metal firmware, providing guide/analysis regarding the same. This step-by-step guide will cover setting up a test environment, selecting appropriate tools, defining fuzzing strategies, and analyzing results.

Conclusion: This overview highlights the key topics that will be covered in my research on fuzzing in embedded firmware. This might change later depending on the research progress. By understanding fuzzing, exploring existing fuzzers, leveraging fuzzing techniques in embedded firmware, and considering the unique scenario of bare-metal firmware, we can enhance the security and reliability of embedded systems. I will also explore diverse fuzzing possibilities beyond emulation and rehosting and provide practical guidance on performing fuzzing on bare-metal firmware.