Object-level recombination of commodity applications

This paper presents ObjRecombGA, a genetic algorithm framework for recombining related programs at the object file level. A genetic algorithm guides the selection of object files, while a robust link resolver allows working program binaries to be produced from the object files derived from two ancestor programs. Tests on compiled C programs, including a simple web browser and a well-known 3D video game, show that functional program variants can be created that exhibit key features of both ancestor programs. This work illustrates the feasibility of applying evolutionary techniques directly to commodity applications. Copyright 2010 ACM.