Automated Testing: Techniques and Tools

This lecture delves into automated testing techniques, focusing on fuzzing to find vulnerabilities in code. The instructor discusses different testing methods, such as fully automated and semi-automated testing, and the importance of input generation and bug detection. The lecture covers the learning goals of understanding fuzzing, input generation, bug detection, and opportunities for improving fuzzers. It also explores the need for testing, formal vs. informal specifications, and the challenges of demonstrating security during testing. The lecture concludes with a comparison of various testing tools and techniques, highlighting the trade-offs between formal verification, symbolic execution, and fuzzing.