DARPA

Research programs with demonstrable tasks

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency organizes research and development within the US military department. DARPA describes its programs as establishing proofs of concept, with performers and transition partners responsible for subsequent implementation and commercialization. Its AI relevance includes experimental autonomy and machine reasoning under defined test conditions. [1]

Autonomous software security

At the August 2016 Cyber Grand Challenge final, seven computer systems competed in an automated Capture the Flag test in Las Vegas. They had to analyze unfamiliar software, find vulnerabilities, patch their own services and exploit opponents. This was a controlled competition demonstrating autonomous security techniques, rather than a finding that arbitrary production software could be secured automatically. [2][3]

DARPA named ForAllSecure’s Mayhem the presumptive winner on August 4, with verification overnight and awards scheduled for August 5. The company later adopted the name Mayhem Security; that later name does not change the historical team’s contribution. [2][3]