Static Analysis of Source Code Vulnerability Using Machine Learning Techniques: A Survey

Cyber-attacks are fairly mundane. The misconfigurations of the source code can result in security vulnerabilities that potentially encourage the attackers to exploit them and compromise the system. This paper aims to discover various mechanisms of automating the detection and correction of vulnerabilities in source code. Usage of static and dynamic analysis, various machine learning, deep learning, and neural network techniques will enhance the automation of detecting and correcting processes. This paper systematically presents the various methods and research efforts of detecting vulnerabilities in the source code, starting with what is a software vulnerability and what kind of exploitation, existing vulnerability detection methods, correction methods and efforts of best researches in the world relevant to the research area. A plugin will be developed which is capable of intelligently and efficiently detecting the vulnerable source code segment and correcting the source code accurately in the development stage.

With the popularization of machine learning (ML) techniques and the increased chipset’s performance, the application of ML to pedestrian localization systems has received significant attention in the last years. Several survey papers have attempted to provide a state-of-the-art overview, but they usually limit their scope to a particular type of positioning system or technology. In addition, they are written from the point of view of ML techniques and their practice, not from the point of view of the localization system and the specific problems that ML techniques can help to solve. This article is intended to offer a comprehensive state-of-the-art survey of the ML techniques that have been adopted over the last ten years to improve the performance of pedestrian localization systems, addressing the applicability of ML techniques in this domain, along with the main localization strategies. It concludes by indicating the underlying open issues and challenges associated with the existing systems, and possible future directions in which ML techniques could improve the performance of pedestrian localization systems. Among other open issues, most previous authors have focused their attention on position estimation accuracy, which wastes the potential of ML techniques to improve other performance parameters (e.g., response time, computational complexity, robustness, scalability or energy efficiency). This study shows that there is a strong trend towards the application of supervised learning. Consequently, there are many potential research opportunities in the use of other learning types, such as unsupervised and reinforcement learning, to improve the performance of pedestrian localization systems.

This comprehensive review explores the design and applications of machine learning (ML) techniques to acoustic metamaterials (AMs) and phononic crystals (PnCs), with a particular focus on deep learning (DL). AMs and PnCs, characterized by artificially designed microstructures and geometries, offer unique acoustic properties for precise control and manipulation of sound waves. ML, including DL, in combination with traditional artificial design have promoted the design process, enabling data-driven approaches for feature identification, design optimization, and intelligent parameter search. ML algorithms process extensive AM data to discover novel structures and properties, enhancing overall acoustic performance. This review presents an in-depth exploration of applications associated with ML techniques in AMs and PnCs, highlighting specific advantages, challenges and potential solutions of applying of using ML algorithms associated with ML techniques. By bridging acoustic engineering and ML, this review paves the way for future breakthroughs in acoustic research and engineering.

Dry deep mixing (DDM) has frequently been employed as a method to improve the engineering properties of soft soils such as clay and peat. Today’s methods to quantify the strength and stiffness of DDM improved ground are limited in terms of their spatial and temporal resolution. This lack of reliable monitoring data often results in uncertainty about the field performance. As a consequence, DDM projects often use overly conservative design solutions which could have negative economic and environmental implications. Recent smart sensing techniques including distributed fibre optic sensing (DFOS), which could provide the required high-resolution data, have, however, not yet been adopted to DDM. Another shortcoming of DDM is that the prediction of the improved ground properties relies on resource intensive laboratory and field testing. Advanced prediction methods based on machine learning (ML) techniques have not yet been sufficiently explored for DDM. This contribution addresses these current gaps in DDM practice by presenting results from the application of DFOS and ML to DDM. The validation of DFOS for DDM improved ground, drawing on data from laboratory and full-scale field trials, is discussed. The obtained results highlight that fibre optical cables installed in DDM improved ground can reliably map the stress-strain response of improved soil columns. Gradient boosting and random forest techniques are utilized to predict the properties of laboratory improved soil for DDM. The application of these ML techniques to existing databases shows that these methods outperform currently used prediction models based on, for example, the water-to-binder ratio. Overall, this contribution presents latest applied research on incorporating digitalization into DDM.

ABSTRACTThis paper reviews the activity-travel behaviour literature that employs Machine Learning (ML) techniques for empirical analysis and modelling. Machine Learning algorithms, which attempt to build intelligence utilizing the availability of large amounts of data, have emerged as powerful tools in the fields of pattern recognition and big data analysis. These techniques have been applied in activity-travel behaviour studies since the early ’90s when Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) were employed to model mode choice decisions. AMOS, an activity-based modelling system developed in the mid-’90s, has ANN at its core to model and predict individual responses to travel demand management measures. In the dawn of 2000, ALBATROSS, a comprehensive activity-based travel demand modelling system, was proposed by Arentze and Timmermans using Decision Trees. Since then researchers have been exploring ML techniques like Support Vector Machines (SVM), Decision Trees (DT), Neural Networks (NN), Bayes Classifiers, and more recently, Ensemble Learners to model and predict activity-travel behaviour. A large number of publications over the years and an upward trend in the number of published articles over time indicate that Machine Learning is a promising tool for activity-travel behaviour analysis and prediction. This article, first of its kind in the literature, reviews these studies and explores the trends in activity-travel behaviour research that apply ML techniques. The review finds that mode choice decisions have received wide attention in the literature on ML applications. It was observed that most of the studies identify the lack of interpretability as a serious shortcoming in ML techniques. However, very few studies have attempted to improve the interpretability of the models. Further, some studies report the importance of feature engineering in ML-based studies, but very few studies adopt feature engineering before model development. Spatiotemporal transferability of models is another issue that has received minimal attention in the literature. In the end, the paper discusses possible directions for future research in the area of activity-travel behaviour modelling using ML techniques.

Machine learning applications for anomaly detection in Smart Water Metering Networks: A systematic review

Techno-economic estimation of a non-cover box solar still with thermoelectric and antiseptic nanofluid using machine learning models

Chemical heuristics have been fundamental to the advancement of chemistry and materials science. These heuristics are typically established by scientists using knowledge and creativity to extract patterns from limited datasets. Machine learning offers opportunities to perfect this approach using computers and larger datasets. Here, we discuss the relationships between traditional heuristics and machine learning approaches. We show how traditional rules can be challenged by large-scale statistical assessment and how traditional concepts commonly used as features are feeding the machine learning techniques. We stress the waste involved in relearning chemical rules and the challenges in terms of data size requirements for purely data-driven approaches. Our view is that heuristic and machine learning approaches are at their best when they work together.

Coastal aquifers are vital for sustaining ecosystems and providing freshwater for agriculture and domestic use. However, rising groundwater salinity in these regions demands innovative approaches for accurate modeling and prediction. In recent decades, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques have been extensively used across various water resource management fields, often yielding promising outcomes. This review examines the growing usage of ML and DL techniques in modeling groundwater salinity in coastal aquifers. The analysis is based on 104 peer-reviewed journal articles including the review articles indexed in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Scopus, and SpringerLink using keywords like "saltwater intrusion", "machine learning", “deep learning”, and "groundwater salinity". The review discusses recent advancements, challenges, and future directions for improving ML model accuracy and applicability. Studies reveal an increasing reliance on ML techniques to predict groundwater salinity and manage seawater intrusion across various coastal geological settings. Researchers have employed a range of ML models, from traditional methods like Artificial Neural Networks and Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference Systems to advanced DL-based models like Convolutional Neural Networks and Long Short-Term Memory Networks, often using ensemble methods to enhance accuracy. Key findings include the top-tier output of ensemble and optimized models, including Random Forest and Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm-XGBoost. These studies highlight the importance of model selection, input variable ranking, and computational efficiency, demonstrating ML's global relevance in environmental management. The review highlights the prospects of ML, DL, and ensemble models to redefine groundwater management in coastal aquifers, offering more effective and sustainable solutions to the challenges posed by groundwater salinity and saltwater intrusion. Future advancements will focus on further integrating DL, explainable artificial intelligence, and ensemble approaches, along with other innovative techniques, to explore sparsely studied variables, model new or unique study areas, and apply ML methods for managing groundwater salinity.

e17570 Background: Ovarian cancer(OC) is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancy. Current challenges include lack of diagnostic tools, predictive biomarkers, and identifying appropriate surgical candidates. Machine learning(ML) is an emerging field that can make accurate projections by making inferences on data and may play a crucial role in OC.The objective of the current study was to review the literature on application of ML in OC and report the most commonly used algorithms and their performance in comparison to existing prediction tools and traditional regression models. Methods: This is a systematic review of published literature from January 1985 to March 2021 on the use of ML in OC. An extensive search of electronic library databases was conducted. Four independent reviewers screened the articles initially by title then full text. Quality was assessed using the MINORS criteria. P-values were generated using the Pearson’s Chi-squared(x2) test to compare performance of ML models with traditional statistics. No p-values were reported if only one study was available. Results: Among 4,295 articles screened, 88 studies on ML in OC were included. The mean age of OC patients was 54.7 years(11-90) and the most common stages at diagnosis were:Stage III (39.9%) and IV (34%). Applications of ML were in clinical datasets(33%, n = 29), preoperative diagnostics(30.7%, n = 27), serum biomarkers (21.6%, n = 19), genomics (12.5%, n = 11), and prediction of cytoreductive outcomes (2.3%, n = 2). The most commonly applied algorithms were Support Vector Machine [SVM](28%, n = 33)and Neural Networks[NN] (25.28%). Over the past decades, the number of publications on ML in OC increased three-fold from 20(1994-2010) to 67 (2011–2021). Only 9 (10%) studies compared ML techniques with existing prediction tools, or traditional regression models. Among 29 clinical dataset studies, 4 compared ML with traditional logistic regression(LR). Two studies reported better performance with ML compared to LR but not significant(accuracy: 0.88 vs 0.84, p = 0.15), one study performed comparably(accuracy: 0.1 vs 0.1) while one study performed worse(accuracy: 0.1 vs 0.97). Only one preoperative diagnostic study compared ML techniques with LR. SVM classifiers outperformed LR in classifying ovarian masses as benign or malignant(sensitivity: 0.88 vs. 0.70). One serum biomarker study compared LR with ML algorithms; LR performed better using two biomarkers for predicting OC(accuracy: 0.97 vs. 0.94). Among five studies reporting overall survival outcomes, only one study compared survival ML techniques using NN with LR and showed that NN classifiers outperformed LR in predicting overall survival(AUC: 0.72 vs. 0.62). Conclusions: This is the first systematic review exploring the literature on ML algorithms in OC. Most ML models outperformed traditional models. However, larger datasets would be required to validate findings.

The application of machine learning (ML) techniques for understanding and predicting organic matter (OM) and harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater systems has increased significantly with the availability of abundant data and advanced monitoring technologies. However, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews concentrating on practical applications and delving into the potential risks associated with misrepresentation or inflation in constructing ML models. This review aims to bridge these gaps by providing a comprehensive overview of various aspects of ML applications in the context of OM and HABs in freshwater systems. It covers practical ML applications for rapid assessment, early warning, and driver analysis, highlighting the diverse range of techniques employed in these areas. Furthermore, it discusses the challenges and considerations associated with data handling, including using in situ and remote sensing data and the importance of appropriate data-splitting techniques to avoid data leakage. To ensure unbiased and reproducible results, this review offers recommendations for model improvement, such as utilizing explainable ML techniques to gain insights into model behavior and avoiding overreliance on a single ML algorithm. It also emphasizes the significance of deploying ML models through user-friendly interfaces, enabling non-experts in ML to effectively utilize these models in real-world water environments.

Background: Application of Machine Learning (ML) techniques in the prediction of Neurological Disorders has been growing rapidly. ML techniques require novel computer programming skills along with domain knowledge to produce a useful tool. We used Google Auto ML and Google ML Tables, a Cloud based front-end tools to develop, validate and deploy a prognostic model for Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH) without a single line of programming code. Methods: Data from Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Hospital ICH Stroke Registry between January 2015 and May 2019 was accessed. Google Auto ML Tables splits the dataset into training, validation and testing sets. 80% of the dataset was used for training, 10% for validation, and 10% for testing. Cramers V correlation statistic ( ϕ c ) between 30 variables and outcome was used to select 20 variables to predict the dichotomous outcome of good (mRS 0-3) vs bad outcome (mRS 4-6). The ML model generated was evaluated using Area Under the Curve (AUC) and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) measures and by confusion/error matrix. Logistic Regression model was developed in parallel using Wizard Pro with the same set of 20 variables. Results: 1000 patients from KMC Registry were analysed. Cramers V correlation was highest for Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on admission ( ϕ c =0.6), followed by hematoma volume ( ϕ c =0.57). The AUC ROC of the model for good and bad outcome was 0.89 with an accuracy of 85.6%. Confusion matrix predicted 84% patients with good outcome and 87% with poor outcome. Feature importance chart showed that GCS had the highest relative importance at 25.7, followed by hematoma volume and age. A similar model created with simple logistic regression yielded a ROC of 0.87 with comparable results to the machine learning platform. Conclusion: Useful ML models can be easily developed and implemented by clinicians possessing domain expertise using Google Auto ML without computer programming experience.

A suboptimal management or system malfunction can often lead to abnormal energy consumptions in buildings, which result in a significant waste of energy. For this reason, the adoption of advanced monitoring systems, based on Machine Learning (ML) and visualization techniques, is crucial to avoid possible deviations from the baseline energy consumption. However, the historical data on which analyses are based generally do not report the occurrence of anomalies. Therefore, the application of supervised ML techniques is limited and unsupervised approaches are favored. Moreover, domain experts find most Machine Learning (ML) techniques hard to interpret, and thus find it difficult to contextualize anomalies. To overcome these issues, this work proposes a machine learning-based Anomaly Detection Framework (ADF) that involves the use of two complementary semi-supervised ML applications to obtain a highly interpretable and accurate detection of anomalies. Both techniques use Symbolic Aggregate approXimation (SAX) encoding to extract the most relevant information from load profiles. The aim of the first approach is to maximize the interpretability of the definition and distinction between anomalous and normal behavior. This is achieved using a Classification And Regression Tree (CART), albeit at the expense of a coarser output granularity. The second approach exploits an Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) algorithm to obtain a higher and more accurate output resolution, although it leads to a less interpretable definition of any anomalous behavior. The ADF has been applied to a real case study using electricity consumption data provided by a large telecommunications service provider. The results show that combining both ML models enhances the accuracy and interpretability of the detected anomalies.

In recent years, the application of machine learning (ML) techniques in research on the prediction of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has increased. However, concerns regarding the clinical relevance and generalizability of ML findings hamper their implementation by clinicians and researchers. Here in this systematic review we examined (1) the extent to which pre-, peri- and post-traumatic risk factors identified using ML approaches coincide with the theoretical understanding of the disorder; (2) whether new insights were gained through ML techniques; and (3) whether ML findings, combined with previous research, enable an integrative model of PTSD risk encompassing both predictor categories and their theoretical relevance. We reviewed ML studies on PTSD risk factors in PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. Studies were included if they specified when predictors and PTSD symptoms were collected in temporal relation to the traumatic event. A total of 30 studies with 12,908 participants (mean age 36.5 years) were included. After extracting the 15 most important predictors from all studies, we categorized them into pre-, peri- and post-trauma exposure predictors and examined their associations with established theoretical models of PTSD. Many studies exhibited a risk of bias, assessed using the prediction model risk of bias assessment tool (PROBAST). However, we found overlaps in identified predictors across studies, a concordance between data-driven results and theory-driven research, and underexplored predictors identified through ML. We propose an integrative model of PTSD risk that incorporates both data-driven and theory-driven findings and discuss future directions. We emphasize the importance of standards on how to apply and report ML approaches for mental health.

The work described in this paper aims at developing a machine learning based tool for automatic identification of vulnerabilities on programs (source, high level code), that uses an abstract syntax tree representation. It is based on FastScan, using code2seq approach. Fastscan is a recently developed system aimed capable of detecting vulnerabilities in source code using machine learning techniques. Nevertheless, FastScan is not able of identifying the vulnerability type. In the presented work the main goal is to go further and develop a method to identify specific types of vulnerabilities. As will be shown, the goal will be achieved by optimizing the model’s hyperparameters, changing the method of preprocessing the input data and developing an architecture that brings together multiple models to predict different specific vulnerabilities. The preliminary results obtained from the training stage, are very promising. The best f1 metric obtained is 93% resulting in a precision of 90% and accuracy of 85%, according to the performed tests and regarding a trained model to predict vulnerabilities of the injection type.