Investigating Graph Embedding Methods for Cross-Platform Binary Code Similarity Detection

IoT devices are increasingly present, both in the industry and in consumer markets, but their security remains weak, which leads to an unprecedented number of attacks against them. In order to reduce the attack surface, one approach is to analyze the binary code of these devices to early detect whether they contain potential security vulnerabilities. More specifically, knowing some vulnerable function, we can determine whether the firmware of an IoT device contains some security flaw by searching for this function. However, searching for similar vulnerable functions is in general challenging due to the fact that the source code is often not openly available and that it can be compiled for different architectures, using different compilers and compilation settings. In order to handle these varying settings, we can compare the similarity between the graph embeddings derived from the binary functions. In this paper, inspired by the recent advances in deep learning, we propose a new method – GESS (graph embeddings for similarity search) – to derive graph embeddings, and we compare it with various state-of-the-art methods. Our empirical evaluation shows that GESS reaches an AUC of 0.979, thereby outperforming the best known approach. Furthermore, for a fixed low false positive rate, GESS provides a true positive rate (or recall) about 36% higher than the best previous approach. Finally, for a large search space, GESS provides a recall between 50% and 60% higher than the best previous approach

Dimensions of the Ascending Aorta in Conotruncal Heart Defects

Dilatation of the ascending aorta is an important sequel in conotruncal anomalies, such as tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) or d-transposition of the great arteries (TGA). We measured dimensions and their progression at different levels of the ascending aorta in 80 patients. In TOF patients, mean z-score for aortic annulus was 1.65 (range −3.16-6.47), for sinus 1.93 (range −2.28-5.39), for st-junction 4.15 (range 0.0-8.18), and for ascending aorta 3.51 (range −1.23-6.36). Over time, annulus z-scores increased in the univariate analysis [0.07/year, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01-0.14; p=0.02], and this was unique to male patients (0.08/year, 95% CI 0.00-0.15; p=0.05). z-scores of the ascending aorta decreased (−0.1/year, 95% CI −0.18 to −0.02; p=0.02), and this was confined to patients without aortic regurgitation (AR; −0.09/year, 95% CI −0.18 to −0.01; p=0.04). In TGA, mean z-score for the aortic annulus was 2.13 (range −3.71-8.39), for sinus 1.77 (range −3.04-6.69), for st-junction 1.01 (range −5.44-6.71), and for ascending aorta 0.82 (range −4.91-6.46). In bivariate analysis, annulus z-scores decreased in females (−0.14/year, 95% CI −0.25 to −0.03; p=0.01) and in patients without AR (−0.07/year, 95% CI −0.14-0.0; p=0.03). z-scores of the ascending aorta increased significantly in males (0.08/year, 95% CI 0.0 to 0.16; p=0.05) and in patients with AR (0.12/year, 95% CI 0.03-0.21; p=0.01). In conclusion, TOF and TGA z-scores of the ascending aorta differ significantly from those of the normal population. Progression of z-scores over time is influenced by diagnosis, sex, and presence of AR

Dimensions of the Ascending Aorta in Conotruncal Heart Defects

Dilatation of the ascending aorta is an important sequel in conotruncal anomalies, such as tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) or d-transposition of the great arteries (TGA). We measured dimensions and their progression at different levels of the ascending aorta in 80 patients. In TOF patients, mean z-score for aortic annulus was 1.65 (range -3.16-6.47), for sinus 1.93 (range -2.28-5.39), for st-junction 4.15 (range 0.0-8.18), and for ascending aorta 3.51 (range -1.23-6.36). Over time, annulus z-scores increased in the univariate analysis [0.07/year, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.01-0.14; p = 0.02], and this was unique to male patients (0.08/year, 95 % CI 0.00-0.15; p = 0.05). z-scores of the ascending aorta decreased (-0.1/year, 95 % CI -0.18 to -0.02; p = 0.02), and this was confined to patients without aortic regurgitation (AR; -0.09/year, 95 % CI -0.18 to -0.01; p = 0.04). In TGA, mean z-score for the aortic annulus was 2.13 (range -3.71-8.39), for sinus 1.77 (range -3.04-6.69), for st-junction 1.01 (range -5.44-6.71), and for ascending aorta 0.82 (range -4.91-6.46). In bivariate analysis, annulus z-scores decreased in females (-0.14/year, 95 % CI -0.25 to -0.03; p = 0.01) and in patients without AR (-0.07/year, 95 % CI -0.14-0.0; p = 0.03). z-scores of the ascending aorta increased significantly in males (0.08/year, 95 % CI 0.0 to 0.16; p = 0.05) and in patients with AR (0.12/year, 95 % CI 0.03-0.21; p = 0.01). In conclusion, TOF and TGA z-scores of the ascending aorta differ significantly from those of the normal population. Progression of z-scores over time is influenced by diagnosis, sex, and presence of AR

Free left ventricular wall rupter in a newborn.

Free left ventricular wall rupture is very rare but mostly fatal complication of acute myocardial infarction in the elderly. Without the presence of congenital heart disease, preceding cardiac surgery or an isolated ventricular diverticulum, spontaneous rupture of the free left ventricular wall in neonates has not been described to date. We present a newborn baby who was brought to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of the University Children’s Hospital in Bern, Switzerland in hemodynamic shock. Clinical assessment revealed bi-ocular cataract and a severe form of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, both highly suspicious findings for an underlying mitochondrial myopathy. The newborn underwent extensive metabolic and genetic screening and was discharged from the PICU to the regular ward.peer-reviewe

Late correction of tetralogy of Fallot in children.

AIM OF STUDY To report our experience of late correction after infancy in patients with tetralogy of Fallot (ToF). METHODS Observational single-centre retrospective analysis of the surgical techniques and perioperative development of patients from developing countries undergoing total surgical correction of ToF after infancy, between 1 November 2011 and 30 November 2016. Variables are presented as numbers with percentages or as mean ± standard deviation. Due to the setting of the humanitarian programme, clinical and echocardiographic follow-up procedures could be conducted for only one month postoperatively. RESULTS Twenty-five children (mean age: 70.8 ± 42 months, range 23-163; 44% female) underwent total surgical correction of ToF. Two patients (0.8%) initially received a Blalock-Taussig shunt and underwent subsequent correction 24 and 108 months later, respectively. Preoperative mean right ventricular/pulmonary artery (RV/PA) gradient was 84 ± 32 mm Hg, with a Nakata index of 164 ± 71 mm2/m2. Major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs) were observed in eight children (32%), six (26%) of whom underwent transcatheter closure before surgery. 24 children (96%) underwent a valve-sparing pulmonary valve repair and one patient received a transannular patch (TAP). There were no cases which saw major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 28 ± 19.6 hours (range 7-76). Pre-discharge echocardiography demonstrated a mean RV/PA gradient of 25 ± 5.7 mm Hg, with left ventricular ejection fraction >60% in all cases. Overall length of hospital stay was 11.7 ± 4.5 days. There were no in-hospital mortality cases. CONCLUSIONS Late surgical correction of ToF can be safely performed and produce highly satisfying early postoperative results comparable to those of classical “timely” correction. A valve-sparing technique can be applied in the majority of children