AFL++ Snapshot LKM

A Linux Kernel Module that implements a fast snapshot mechanism for fuzzing.

Written and maintained by Andrea Fioraldi [email protected].

First port to a LKM written by Nick "kallsyms" Gregory.

Originally inspired by https://github.com/sslab-gatech/perf-fuzz.

Why?

fork() is slow and we want to fuzz faster. The speed gain currently varies between 20-360% depending on the target.

Persistent mode in llvm_mode will give you a better performance bump though, however adding this snapshot module will still be a small improvement.

Speed comparison

project	program	exec/s with snapshot	exec/s normal	speed factor
afl++	test-instr	25k	8234	x3
unrar	unrar	7044	1938	x3.6
jpeg	djpeg	1911	1502	x1.3
tiff	thumbnail	5058	3114	x1.6
libxml	xmllint	7835	3450	x2.3
afl++	test_persistent_new	106k	89k	x1.2

Usage

Load it using ./load.sh, unload it using ./unload.sh.

./load.sh will compile the module for you, you need also python3.

While the module is loaded, AFL++ will detect it and automatically switch from fork() to snapshot mode. (Note: currently llvm_mode only, available from v2.66d/v2.67c onwards)

API

int afl_snapshot_init();

This is the initialization routine that opens the ioctl device.

void afl_snapshot_exclude_vmrange(void* start, void* end);

Add a range of addresses (with page granularity) in the blocklist. These pages will not be snapshotted.

void afl_snapshot_include_vmrange(void* start, void* end);

Add a range of addresses (with page granularity) in the allowlist. These pages will be snapshotted.

int afl_snapshot_take(int config);

Take the snapshot in this program point. Returns 1 when the snapshot is taken, if there is already one snapshot does nothing and return 0.

The config mask can have the following options OR-ed:

• AFL_SNAPSHOT_MMAP Trace new mmaped ares and unmap them on restore.
• AFL_SNAPSHOT_BLOCK Do not snapshot any page (by default all writeable not-shared pages are shanpshotted.
• AFL_SNAPSHOT_FDS Snapshot file descriptor state, close newly opened descriptors
• AFL_SNAPSHOT_REGS Snapshot registers state
• AFL_SNAPSHOT_EXIT Perform a restore when exit_group is invoked
• AFL_SNAPSHOT_NOSTACK Do not snapshot Stack pages

void afl_snapshot_restore(void);

Restore the snapshot. If registers are snapshotted, this function never returns.

void afl_snapshot_clean(void);

Remove the snapshot, you can not call afl_snapshot_take in another program point.

TODOs

• support for multithreaded applications
• file descriptors state restore (lseek)
• switch from kprobe to ftrace for hooking (faster)