NatGVD: Natural Adversarial Example Attack towards Graph-based Vulnerability Detection Article Swipe

PDF

Avilash Rath , Wen Qi , Youpeng Li , Xinda Wang ·

YOU? · · 2025 · Open Access · · DOI: https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2510.04987

Graph-based models learn rich code graph structural information and present superior performance on various code analysis tasks. However, the robustness of these models against adversarial example attacks in the context of vulnerability detection remains an open question. This paper proposes NatGVD, a novel attack methodology that generates natural adversarial vulnerable code to circumvent GNN-based and graph-aware transformer-based vulnerability detectors. NatGVD employs a set of code transformations that modify graph structure while preserving code semantics. Instead of injecting dead or unrelated code like previous works, NatGVD considers naturalness requirements: generated examples should not be easily recognized by humans or program analysis tools. With extensive evaluation of NatGVD on state-of-the-art vulnerability detection systems, the results reveal up to 53.04% evasion rate across GNN-based detectors and graph-aware transformer-based detectors. We also explore potential defense strategies to enhance the robustness of these systems against NatGVD.

Related Topics

Exploitation Of Natural Resources

Natural History Museum

Natural Born Killers

List Of Natural Disasters By Death Toll

Natural Disaster

Natural Science

Natural Law

Oil And Natural Gas Corporation

Generative Adversarial Network

Natural Selection

List Of Countries By Natural Gas Proven Reserves

The Natural (Film)

Concepts

No concepts available.

Metadata

Type: preprint
Language: en
Landing Page: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.04987
PDF: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.04987
OA Status: green
OpenAlex ID: https://openalex.org/W4414972809

All OpenAlex metadata

Raw OpenAlex JSON

OpenAlex ID: https://openalex.org/W4414972809

Canonical identifier for this work in OpenAlex
DOI: https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2510.04987

Digital Object Identifier
Title: NatGVD: Natural Adversarial Example Attack towards Graph-based Vulnerability Detection

Work title
Type: preprint

OpenAlex work type
Language: en

Primary language
Publication year: 2025

Year of publication
Publication date: 2025-10-06

Full publication date if available
Authors: Avilash Rath, Wen Qi, Youpeng Li, Xinda Wang

List of authors in order
Landing page: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.04987

Publisher landing page
PDF URL: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.04987

Direct link to full text PDF
Open access: Yes

Whether a free full text is available
OA status: green

Open access status per OpenAlex
OA URL: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.04987

Direct OA link when available
Cited by: 0

Total citation count in OpenAlex

Full payload

id	https://openalex.org/W4414972809
doi	https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2510.04987
ids.doi	https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2510.04987
ids.openalex	https://openalex.org/W4414972809
fwci
type	preprint
title	NatGVD: Natural Adversarial Example Attack towards Graph-based Vulnerability Detection
biblio.issue
biblio.volume
biblio.last_page
biblio.first_page
topics[0].id	https://openalex.org/T11241
topics[0].field.id	https://openalex.org/fields/17
topics[0].field.display_name	Computer Science
topics[0].score	0.9800999760627747
topics[0].domain.id	https://openalex.org/domains/3
topics[0].domain.display_name	Physical Sciences
topics[0].subfield.id	https://openalex.org/subfields/1711
topics[0].subfield.display_name	Signal Processing
topics[0].display_name	Advanced Malware Detection Techniques
topics[1].id	https://openalex.org/T10734
topics[1].field.id	https://openalex.org/fields/17
topics[1].field.display_name	Computer Science
topics[1].score	0.9790999889373779
topics[1].domain.id	https://openalex.org/domains/3
topics[1].domain.display_name	Physical Sciences
topics[1].subfield.id	https://openalex.org/subfields/1710
topics[1].subfield.display_name	Information Systems
topics[1].display_name	Information and Cyber Security
topics[2].id	https://openalex.org/T10743
topics[2].field.id	https://openalex.org/fields/17
topics[2].field.display_name	Computer Science
topics[2].score	0.9750999808311462
topics[2].domain.id	https://openalex.org/domains/3
topics[2].domain.display_name	Physical Sciences
topics[2].subfield.id	https://openalex.org/subfields/1712
topics[2].subfield.display_name	Software
topics[2].display_name	Software Testing and Debugging Techniques
is_xpac	False
apc_list
apc_paid
language	en
locations[0].id	pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2510.04987
locations[0].is_oa	True
locations[0].source.id	https://openalex.org/S4306400194
locations[0].source.issn
locations[0].source.type	repository
locations[0].source.is_oa	True
locations[0].source.issn_l
locations[0].source.is_core	False
locations[0].source.is_in_doaj	False
locations[0].source.display_name	arXiv (Cornell University)
locations[0].source.host_organization	https://openalex.org/I205783295
locations[0].source.host_organization_name	Cornell University
locations[0].source.host_organization_lineage	https://openalex.org/I205783295
locations[0].license	cc-by
locations[0].pdf_url	https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.04987
locations[0].version	submittedVersion
locations[0].raw_type	text
locations[0].license_id	https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by
locations[0].is_accepted	False
locations[0].is_published	False
locations[0].raw_source_name
locations[0].landing_page_url	http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.04987
locations[1].id	doi:10.48550/arxiv.2510.04987
locations[1].is_oa	True
locations[1].source.id	https://openalex.org/S4306400194
locations[1].source.issn
locations[1].source.type	repository
locations[1].source.is_oa	True
locations[1].source.issn_l
locations[1].source.is_core	False
locations[1].source.is_in_doaj	False
locations[1].source.display_name	arXiv (Cornell University)
locations[1].source.host_organization	https://openalex.org/I205783295
locations[1].source.host_organization_name	Cornell University
locations[1].source.host_organization_lineage	https://openalex.org/I205783295
locations[1].license	cc-by
locations[1].pdf_url
locations[1].version
locations[1].raw_type	article
locations[1].license_id	https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by
locations[1].is_accepted	False
locations[1].is_published
locations[1].raw_source_name
locations[1].landing_page_url	https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2510.04987
indexed_in	arxiv, datacite
authorships[0].author.id	https://openalex.org/A5010162374
authorships[0].author.orcid
authorships[0].author.display_name	Avilash Rath
authorships[0].author_position	first
authorships[0].raw_author_name	Rath, Avilash
authorships[0].is_corresponding	False
authorships[1].author.id	https://openalex.org/A5035835836
authorships[1].author.orcid	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2091-3718
authorships[1].author.display_name	Wen Qi
authorships[1].author_position	middle
authorships[1].raw_author_name	Qi, Weiliang
authorships[1].is_corresponding	False
authorships[2].author.id	https://openalex.org/A5042127707
authorships[2].author.orcid
authorships[2].author.display_name	Youpeng Li
authorships[2].author_position	middle
authorships[2].raw_author_name	Li, Youpeng
authorships[2].is_corresponding	False
authorships[3].author.id	https://openalex.org/A5081178619
authorships[3].author.orcid	https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5559-1714
authorships[3].author.display_name	Xinda Wang
authorships[3].author_position	last
authorships[3].raw_author_name	Wang, Xinda
authorships[3].is_corresponding	False
has_content.pdf	True
has_content.grobid_xml	False
is_paratext	False
open_access.is_oa	True
open_access.oa_url	https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.04987
open_access.oa_status	green
open_access.any_repository_has_fulltext	False
created_date	2025-10-09T00:00:00
display_name	NatGVD: Natural Adversarial Example Attack towards Graph-based Vulnerability Detection
has_fulltext	False
is_retracted	False
updated_date	2025-11-06T06:51:31.235846
primary_topic.id	https://openalex.org/T11241
primary_topic.field.id	https://openalex.org/fields/17
primary_topic.field.display_name	Computer Science
primary_topic.score	0.9800999760627747
primary_topic.domain.id	https://openalex.org/domains/3
primary_topic.domain.display_name	Physical Sciences
primary_topic.subfield.id	https://openalex.org/subfields/1711
primary_topic.subfield.display_name	Signal Processing
primary_topic.display_name	Advanced Malware Detection Techniques
cited_by_count	0
locations_count	2
best_oa_location.id	pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2510.04987
best_oa_location.is_oa	True
best_oa_location.source.id	https://openalex.org/S4306400194
best_oa_location.source.issn
best_oa_location.source.type	repository
best_oa_location.source.is_oa	True
best_oa_location.source.issn_l
best_oa_location.source.is_core	False
best_oa_location.source.is_in_doaj	False
best_oa_location.source.display_name	arXiv (Cornell University)
best_oa_location.source.host_organization	https://openalex.org/I205783295
best_oa_location.source.host_organization_name	Cornell University
best_oa_location.source.host_organization_lineage	https://openalex.org/I205783295
best_oa_location.license	cc-by
best_oa_location.pdf_url	https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.04987
best_oa_location.version	submittedVersion
best_oa_location.raw_type	text
best_oa_location.license_id	https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by
best_oa_location.is_accepted	False
best_oa_location.is_published	False
best_oa_location.raw_source_name
best_oa_location.landing_page_url	http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.04987
primary_location.id	pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2510.04987
primary_location.is_oa	True
primary_location.source.id	https://openalex.org/S4306400194
primary_location.source.issn
primary_location.source.type	repository
primary_location.source.is_oa	True
primary_location.source.issn_l
primary_location.source.is_core	False
primary_location.source.is_in_doaj	False
primary_location.source.display_name	arXiv (Cornell University)
primary_location.source.host_organization	https://openalex.org/I205783295
primary_location.source.host_organization_name	Cornell University
primary_location.source.host_organization_lineage	https://openalex.org/I205783295
primary_location.license	cc-by
primary_location.pdf_url	https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.04987
primary_location.version	submittedVersion
primary_location.raw_type	text
primary_location.license_id	https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by
primary_location.is_accepted	False
primary_location.is_published	False
primary_location.raw_source_name
primary_location.landing_page_url	http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.04987
publication_date	2025-10-06
publication_year	2025
referenced_works_count	0
abstract_inverted_index.a	41, 61
abstract_inverted_index.We	126
abstract_inverted_index.an	34
abstract_inverted_index.be	92
abstract_inverted_index.by	95
abstract_inverted_index.in	27
abstract_inverted_index.of	20, 30, 63, 75, 104, 136
abstract_inverted_index.on	12, 106
abstract_inverted_index.or	78, 97
abstract_inverted_index.to	51, 115, 132
abstract_inverted_index.up	114
abstract_inverted_index.and	8, 54, 122
abstract_inverted_index.not	91
abstract_inverted_index.set	62
abstract_inverted_index.the	18, 28, 111, 134
abstract_inverted_index.This	37
abstract_inverted_index.With	101
abstract_inverted_index.also	127
abstract_inverted_index.code	4, 14, 50, 64, 72, 80
abstract_inverted_index.dead	77
abstract_inverted_index.like	81
abstract_inverted_index.open	35
abstract_inverted_index.rate	118
abstract_inverted_index.rich	3
abstract_inverted_index.that	45, 66
abstract_inverted_index.graph	5, 68
abstract_inverted_index.learn	2
abstract_inverted_index.novel	42
abstract_inverted_index.paper	38
abstract_inverted_index.these	21, 137
abstract_inverted_index.while	70
abstract_inverted_index.53.04%	116
abstract_inverted_index.NatGVD	59, 84, 105
abstract_inverted_index.across	119
abstract_inverted_index.attack	43
abstract_inverted_index.easily	93
abstract_inverted_index.humans	96
abstract_inverted_index.models	1, 22
abstract_inverted_index.modify	67
abstract_inverted_index.reveal	113
abstract_inverted_index.should	90
abstract_inverted_index.tasks.	16
abstract_inverted_index.tools.	100
abstract_inverted_index.works,	83
abstract_inverted_index.Instead	74
abstract_inverted_index.NatGVD,	40
abstract_inverted_index.NatGVD.	140
abstract_inverted_index.against	23, 139
abstract_inverted_index.attacks	26
abstract_inverted_index.context	29
abstract_inverted_index.defense	130
abstract_inverted_index.employs	60
abstract_inverted_index.enhance	133
abstract_inverted_index.evasion	117
abstract_inverted_index.example	25
abstract_inverted_index.explore	128
abstract_inverted_index.natural	47
abstract_inverted_index.present	9
abstract_inverted_index.program	98
abstract_inverted_index.remains	33
abstract_inverted_index.results	112
abstract_inverted_index.systems	138
abstract_inverted_index.various	13
abstract_inverted_index.However,	17
abstract_inverted_index.analysis	15, 99
abstract_inverted_index.examples	89
abstract_inverted_index.previous	82
abstract_inverted_index.proposes	39
abstract_inverted_index.superior	10
abstract_inverted_index.systems,	110
abstract_inverted_index.GNN-based	53, 120
abstract_inverted_index.considers	85
abstract_inverted_index.detection	32, 109
abstract_inverted_index.detectors	121
abstract_inverted_index.extensive	102
abstract_inverted_index.generated	88
abstract_inverted_index.generates	46
abstract_inverted_index.injecting	76
abstract_inverted_index.potential	129
abstract_inverted_index.question.	36
abstract_inverted_index.structure	69
abstract_inverted_index.unrelated	79
abstract_inverted_index.circumvent	52
abstract_inverted_index.detectors.	58, 125
abstract_inverted_index.evaluation	103
abstract_inverted_index.preserving	71
abstract_inverted_index.recognized	94
abstract_inverted_index.robustness	19, 135
abstract_inverted_index.semantics.	73
abstract_inverted_index.strategies	131
abstract_inverted_index.structural	6
abstract_inverted_index.vulnerable	49
abstract_inverted_index.Graph-based	0
abstract_inverted_index.adversarial	24, 48
abstract_inverted_index.graph-aware	55, 123
abstract_inverted_index.information	7
abstract_inverted_index.methodology	44
abstract_inverted_index.naturalness	86
abstract_inverted_index.performance	11
abstract_inverted_index.requirements:	87
abstract_inverted_index.vulnerability	31, 57, 108
abstract_inverted_index.transformations	65
abstract_inverted_index.state-of-the-art	107
abstract_inverted_index.transformer-based	56, 124
cited_by_percentile_year
countries_distinct_count	0
institutions_distinct_count	4
citation_normalized_percentile