Machine Learning vs Software Vulnerability Detection: Applicability Analysis and Conceptual System Synthesis

Abstract

The article is devoted to the searching for vulnerabilities in software problem, as well as the possibilities of application of such a promising area in information technology as machine learning. For this purpose, a review of scientific publications in this area from Russian and foreign citation databases is made. A comparative analysis of the review's results was made according to the following criteria: publication year, application field, idea, solved problem of machine learning, degree of realization of its models and methods; for each criterion basic conclusions were drawn. As a result, 7 principles of building a new conceptual system of searching for vulnerabilities in software with the help of machine learning are proposed, the short meaning of which is as follows: program's multilateral study, combination of known methods, the use of machine learning in each method and algorithm of its management, the possibility of correcting the expert's work, storing information in a database and its synchronization with external, advisory nature of the found vulnerabilities; single software application usage. Based on the stated principles, a graphical scheme of such a system has been developed.