Genesis: A Framework for Achieving Software Component Diversity

Abstract : The Genesis project sought to provide security through the diversification of software. A major weakness with current information systems is that they use software applications that are clones of each other; a major exploitable flaw in one implies a flaw in all other similarly configured software packages. Breaking this software monoculture was the goal of the bio-inspired diversity area of DARPA's self-regenerative systems program. The Genesis project exceeded the program's goal of producing 100 functionally equivalent versions of software such that no more than 33 exhibited the same deficiency. This report presents an overview of the Genesis project, the current status of the Genesis Diversity Toolkit, and future opportunities for technical transfer and research.

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