Fuzzing
Fuzzing is a software testing technique that involves providing invalid, unexpected, or random data as inputs to a program to discover bugs, security vulnerabilities, and crashes. It automates the process of feeding malformed inputs to test the robustness and security of software, often uncovering edge cases that manual testing might miss. This methodology is widely used in security research, quality assurance, and development to improve software reliability.
Developers should learn and use fuzzing when building or maintaining software that requires high security, reliability, or handles untrusted inputs, such as web applications, network protocols, or file parsers. It is particularly valuable for identifying memory corruption issues, buffer overflows, and other vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers, making it essential in fields like cybersecurity, embedded systems, and critical infrastructure. Fuzzing helps catch bugs early in the development cycle, reducing costs and risks associated with post-release fixes.