Neil A. Gordon

29 papers B 1C 2Journal 12Unranked 14
YearRankTypeTitle / Venue / Authors
2025 J jnl
Multimodal Technol. Interact.
Ifeoluwa Pelumi, Neil A. Gordon
2024 J jnl
Inroads
Heidi J. C. Ellis, Gregory W. Hislop, Mikey Goldweber, Samuel A. Rebelsky, Janice L. Pearce, Patti Ordonez, Marcelo Pias, Neil A. Gordon
2023 C conf
iLRN
Francis Kambili-Mzembe, Neil A. Gordon
2023 conf
SIGCSE (2)
Heidi J. C. Ellis, Gregory W. Hislop, Michael Goldweber, Marcelo Pias, Samuel A. Rebelsky, Janice L. Pearce, Neil A. Gordon, Patti Ordonez
2023 conf
HCI (31)
Mike Brayshaw, Neil A. Gordon, Francis Kambili-Mzembe, Tareq Aljaber
2022 conf
HCI (27)
Julius Tanyu Nganji, Mike Brayshaw, Neil A. Gordon
2022 J jnl
Comput.
Lamis Al-Qora'n, Omar Al Sheik Salem, Neil A. Gordon
2022 C conf
iLRN
Francis Kambili-Mzembe, Neil A. Gordon
2020 conf
SAI (2)
Asmaa Alabed, Chandrasekhar Kambhampati, Neil A. Gordon
2019 conf
CEP
Neil A. Gordon, Mike Brayshaw, Simon Grey
2017 conf
HCI (26)
Tareq Aljaber, Neil A. Gordon
2017 conf
AHFE (23)
Tareq Aljaber, Neil A. Gordon
2017 conf
HCI (26)
Mike Brayshaw, Julius Tanyu Nganji, Neil A. Gordon
2017 J jnl
Knowl. Based Syst.
David Chalupa, Phininder Balaghan, Ken A. Hawick, Neil A. Gordon
2017 conf
HCI (30)
Neil A. Gordon, Mike Brayshaw
2017 J jnl
Int. J. Game Based Learn.
Simon Grey, David Grey, Neil A. Gordon, Jon Purdy
2016 conf
HCI (23)
Neil A. Gordon, Mike Brayshaw, Tareq Aljaber
2014 conf
HCI (14)
Mike Brayshaw, Neil A. Gordon, Julius Tanyu Nganji, Lipeng Wen, Adele Butterfield
2014 conf
DepCoS-RELCOMEX
Sohag Kabir, Ernest Edifor, Martin Walker, Neil A. Gordon
2014 conf
DepCoS-RELCOMEX
Ernest Edifor, Neil A. Gordon, Martin Walker, Yiannis Papadopoulos
2013 conf
DepCoS-RELCOMEX
Ernest Edifor, Martin Walker, Neil A. Gordon
2012 J jnl
Des. Codes Cryptogr.
Ron Shaw, Neil A. Gordon, Hans Havlicek
2012 B conf
SAFECOMP
Ernest Edifor, Martin Walker, Neil A. Gordon
2009 J jnl
Des. Codes Cryptogr.
Ron Shaw, Neil A. Gordon
2006 J jnl
Des. Codes Cryptogr.
Ron Shaw, Neil A. Gordon
2005 J jnl
Discret. Math.
Ron Shaw, Neil A. Gordon, Johannes G. Maks
2005 J jnl
Des. Codes Cryptogr.
Ron Shaw, Johannes G. Maks, Neil A. Gordon
2004 J jnl
Des. Codes Cryptogr.
Ron Shaw, Neil A. Gordon
1994 J jnl
J. Comb. Theory A
Ron Shaw, Neil A. Gordon
redb/extractors/decompiler/bninja/analysis/cfg_features.py
← Index redb/extractors/decompiler/bninja/analysis/cfg_features.py python
import struct
from collections import deque
from typing import Optional

import blake3
import mmh3


# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Task 1.1: Core Graph Utilities
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

def bfs_order(successors: list[list[int]], n: int) -> list[int]:
    """
    BFS traversal from node 0 (entry block), returns node indices in visit order.
    Unreachable nodes appended at the end.
    """
    if n == 0:
        return []

    visited = set()
    order = []
    queue = deque([0])
    visited.add(0)

    while queue:
        idx = queue.popleft()
        order.append(idx)
        for target in successors[idx]:
            if target not in visited:
                visited.add(target)
                queue.append(target)

    # Append unreachable blocks (dead code)
    for i in range(n):
        if i not in visited:
            order.append(i)

    return order


def bfs_max_depth(successors: list[list[int]], n: int) -> int:
    """
    Maximum BFS depth from entry block (node 0).
    Replaces the per-block depth column with a single scalar.
    """
    if n == 0:
        return 0

    depth = {0: 0}
    max_d = 0
    queue = deque([0])

    while queue:
        node = queue.popleft()
        for s in successors[node]:
            if s not in depth:
                depth[s] = depth[node] + 1
                if depth[s] > max_d:
                    max_d = depth[s]
                queue.append(s)

    return max_d


# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Task 1.2: Back-Edge Detection (Iterative DFS)
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

def count_back_edges(successors: list[list[int]], n: int) -> int:
    """
    Count natural loops via iterative DFS back-edge detection.
    A back edge is an edge to a GRAY (in-stack) node.

    Iterative to avoid stack overflow on functions with 1000+ blocks
    (common in obfuscated malware, VM dispatchers, unrolled loops).
    """
    if n == 0:
        return 0

    WHITE, GRAY, BLACK = 0, 1, 2
    color = [WHITE] * n
    back_edges = 0

    stack = [(0, iter(successors[0]))]
    color[0] = GRAY

    while stack:
        u, children = stack[-1]
        try:
            v = next(children)
            if color[v] == GRAY:
                back_edges += 1
            elif color[v] == WHITE:
                color[v] = GRAY
                stack.append((v, iter(successors[v])))
        except StopIteration:
            color[u] = BLACK
            stack.pop()

    return back_edges


# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Task 1.3: Topology Hash
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

def compute_topology_hash(
    successors: list[list[int]],
    bfs: list[int],
    n: int,
) -> bytes:
    """
    BLAKE3 hash of BFS-ordered canonical adjacency.
    Pure graph shape — ignores all block content.
    Two functions with identical control flow structure produce identical hashes.

    Returns 16 bytes (128-bit).
    """
    if n == 0:
        return b'\x00' * 16

    # Remap: original index -> BFS position
    remap = {original: position for position, original in enumerate(bfs)}

    canonical = bytearray()
    for position in range(n):
        original_idx = bfs[position]
        remapped_succs = sorted(
            remap[s] for s in successors[original_idx] if s in remap
        )
        # Pack: node_index (2 bytes) + num_successors (1 byte) + successor indices (2 bytes each)
        canonical.extend(struct.pack('<HB', position, len(remapped_succs)))
        for s in remapped_succs:
            canonical.extend(struct.pack('<H', s))

    return blake3.blake3(bytes(canonical)).digest(length=16)


# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Task 1.4: MD-Index (Top-Down and Bottom-Up)
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

def compute_md_index_topdown(
    successors: list[list[int]],
    predecessors: list[list[int]],
    bfs: list[int],
) -> int:
    """
    BinDiff-style top-down MD-index.
    Hash of (in_degree, out_degree) sequence in BFS order from entry.
    Returns UInt64.
    """
    if not bfs:
        return 0

    degree_bytes = bytearray()
    for idx in bfs:
        in_deg = min(len(predecessors[idx]), 255)
        out_deg = min(len(successors[idx]), 255)
        degree_bytes.extend(struct.pack('<BB', in_deg, out_deg))

    h = blake3.blake3(bytes(degree_bytes)).digest(length=8)
    return struct.unpack('<Q', h)[0]


def compute_md_index_bottomup(
    successors: list[list[int]],
    predecessors: list[list[int]],
    n: int,
) -> int:
    """
    Bottom-up MD-index: BFS from exit blocks (no successors),
    traversing edges in reverse.
    Returns UInt64.
    """
    if n == 0:
        return 0

    exits = [i for i in range(n) if len(successors[i]) == 0]
    if not exits:
        exits = [n - 1]  # Fallback: use last block

    visited = set(exits)
    order = []
    queue = deque(exits)

    while queue:
        idx = queue.popleft()
        order.append(idx)
        for pred in predecessors[idx]:
            if pred not in visited:
                visited.add(pred)
                queue.append(pred)

    # Append unreachable blocks
    for i in range(n):
        if i not in visited:
            order.append(i)

    degree_bytes = bytearray()
    for idx in order:
        in_deg = min(len(predecessors[idx]), 255)
        out_deg = min(len(successors[idx]), 255)
        degree_bytes.extend(struct.pack('<BB', in_deg, out_deg))

    h = blake3.blake3(bytes(degree_bytes)).digest(length=8)
    return struct.unpack('<Q', h)[0]


# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Task 1.5: Prime Product
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Small primes assigned to LLIL opcode categories.
# Keys are the integer values of binaryninja.LowLevelILOperation enum members.
# We use integer keys so this module doesn't import binaryninja.
#
# Mapping rationale: same operation class -> same prime.
# Using LLIL (not native asm) makes this architecture-independent.
#
# Populated at import time by cfg.py using the real LowLevelILOperation enum values.
# Unknown ops map to prime 1 (identity element) in compute_prime_product().
LLIL_OP_PRIMES: dict[int, int] = {}


def compute_prime_product(llil_operations: list[int]) -> int:
    """
    Product of small primes assigned to each LLIL opcode.
    Position-independent: block reordering doesn't change the result.
    Mod 2^64 for fixed-size storage.

    Args:
        llil_operations: flat list of LLIL operation enum integer values
                         for all instructions in the function.
    Returns:
        UInt64 prime product, or 0 if no instructions.
    """
    if not llil_operations:
        return 0

    product = 1
    for op in llil_operations:
        prime = LLIL_OP_PRIMES.get(op, 1)
        product = (product * prime) % (2**64)

    return product


# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Task 1.6: ACFG Block Features
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Instruction category indices for ACFG feature vectors
CAT_ARITHMETIC = 0
CAT_LOGIC = 1
CAT_TRANSFER = 2
CAT_CALL = 3
CAT_COMPARISON = 4
CAT_MEMORY = 5
CAT_OTHER = 6

# Maps LLIL operation integer values to category indices.
# Populated at import time by cfg.py using the real LowLevelILOperation enum.
LLIL_OP_CATEGORIES: dict[int, int] = {}


def build_block_features(
    block_llil_ops: list[list[int]],
    successors: list[list[int]],
    n: int,
) -> list[list[int]]:
    """
    Extract Gemini-style ACFG features per block.

    Args:
        block_llil_ops: per-block list of LLIL operation integer values.
                        block_llil_ops[i] is the list of ops for block i.
                        Empty list if LLIL unavailable for that block.
        successors: index-based adjacency list.
        n: number of blocks.

    Returns:
        List of [instr_count, arithmetic, logic, transfer, call, comparison,
                 memory, successor_count] per block. All values capped at 65535.
    """
    features = []
    for i in range(n):
        cats = [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
        ops = block_llil_ops[i] if i < len(block_llil_ops) else []
        for op in ops:
            cat = LLIL_OP_CATEGORIES.get(op, CAT_OTHER)
            cats[cat] += 1

        instr_count = len(ops)
        features.append([
            min(instr_count, 65535),
            min(cats[CAT_ARITHMETIC], 65535),
            min(cats[CAT_LOGIC], 65535),
            min(cats[CAT_TRANSFER], 65535),
            min(cats[CAT_CALL], 65535),
            min(cats[CAT_COMPARISON], 65535),
            min(cats[CAT_MEMORY], 65535),
            min(len(successors[i]), 65535),
        ])

    return features


# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Task 1.7: CFG Feature TLSH
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

def compute_cfg_feature_tlsh(
    bb_features: list[list[int]],
    bfs: list[int],
) -> Optional[str]:
    """
    TLSH hash of BFS-ordered per-block feature vectors.
    Captures both structure (BFS ordering) and instruction distribution.

    Returns TLSH hex string or None if too few bytes for TLSH (< 50).
    """
    import tlsh as _tlsh

    feature_bytes = bytearray()
    for idx in bfs:
        feats = bb_features[idx]
        feature_bytes.extend(struct.pack(
            '<HBBBBBBB',
            min(feats[0], 65535),
            min(feats[1], 255),
            min(feats[2], 255),
            min(feats[3], 255),
            min(feats[4], 255),
            min(feats[5], 255),
            min(feats[6], 255),
            min(feats[7], 255),
        ))

    if len(feature_bytes) < 50:
        return None

    try:
        h = _tlsh.hash(bytes(feature_bytes))
        return h if h and h != 'TNULL' else None
    except Exception:
        return None


# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Task 1.8: WL-MinHash
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Pre-computed seeds for MinHash permutations.
NUM_WL_MINHASH_PERMS = 128
_WL_MINHASH_SEEDS = list(range(NUM_WL_MINHASH_PERMS))  # Seeds 0..127


def compute_wl_minhash(
    successors: list[list[int]],
    predecessors: list[list[int]],
    bb_features: list[list[int]],
    n: int,
    iterations: int = 3,
) -> list[int]:
    """
    Weisfeiler-Leman MinHash for fuzzy topology similarity.

    Initial labels: mmh3 hash of per-block ACFG feature tuple (content-aware).
    WL refinement: incorporate sorted neighbor labels at each iteration.
    MinHash: 128-permutation signature over shingle set.

    Returns list of 128 uint8 values, or [255]*128 sentinel for empty functions.
    """
    if n == 0:
        return [255] * NUM_WL_MINHASH_PERMS

    # Initial labels: hash of instruction category tuple per block
    labels = []
    for i in range(n):
        feats = bb_features[i] if i < len(bb_features) else [0] * 8
        # mmh3 with seed=0 for initial labels
        label = mmh3.hash(str(tuple(feats)), 0) & 0xFFFFFFFF
        labels.append(label)

    # Collect shingles: (iteration, label) pairs as strings for mmh3
    shingles: set[str] = set()

    # Iteration 0: individual block labels
    for label in labels:
        shingles.add(f"0:{label}")

    # WL iterations: refine labels by neighborhood aggregation
    for iteration in range(1, iterations + 1):
        new_labels = []
        for i in range(n):
            succ_labels = tuple(sorted(labels[s] for s in successors[i]))
            pred_labels = tuple(sorted(labels[p] for p in predecessors[i]))
            composite = f"{labels[i]}|{succ_labels}|{pred_labels}"
            new_label = mmh3.hash(composite, 0) & 0xFFFFFFFF
            new_labels.append(new_label)
            shingles.add(f"{iteration}:{new_label}")
        labels = new_labels

    if not shingles:
        return [255] * NUM_WL_MINHASH_PERMS

    # Compute MinHash signature using mmh3 with different seeds
    shingle_list = list(shingles)
    signature = []
    for seed in _WL_MINHASH_SEEDS:
        min_val = 0xFFFFFFFF
        for s in shingle_list:
            h = mmh3.hash(s, seed) & 0xFFFFFFFF
            if h < min_val:
                min_val = h
        # Compress to uint8 for storage
        signature.append(min_val & 0xFF)

    return signature


# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Task 1.9: Packed Adjacency
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

def pack_adjacency(successors: list[list[int]]) -> list[int]:
    """
    Pack CFG edges as Array(UInt32).
    Each UInt32 = (source_index << 16) | target_index.
    Supports up to 65,535 blocks per function.
    """
    edges = []
    for src, targets in enumerate(successors):
        for tgt in targets:
            if src < 65536 and tgt < 65536:
                edges.append((src << 16) | tgt)
    return edges