OpenRaiser/Intern-Atlas huggingface dataset:
Developing Convolutional Neural Networks using a Novel Lamarckian Co-Evolutionary Algorithm
Venue: arXiv cs.NE 2024
Year: 2024

Neural Architecture Search (NAS) methods autonomously discover high-accuracy neural network architectures, outperforming manually crafted ones. However, The NAS methods require high computational costs due to the high dimension search space and the need to train multiple candidate solutions. This paper introduces LCoDeepNEAT, an instantiation of Lamarckian genetic algorithms, which extends the foundational principles of the CoDeepNEAT framework. LCoDeepNEAT co-evolves CNN architectures and their respective final layer weights. The evaluation process of LCoDeepNEAT entails a single epoch of SGD, followed by the transference of the acquired final layer weights to the genetic representation of the network. In addition, it expedites the process of evolving by imposing restrictions on the architecture search space, specifically targeting architectures comprising just two fully connected layers for classification. Our method yields a notable improvement in the classification accuracy of candidate solutions throughout the evolutionary process, ranging from 2% to 5.6%. This outcome underscores the efficacy and effectiveness of integrating gradient information and evolving the last layer of candidate solutions within LCoDeepNEAT. LCoDeepNEAT is assessed across six standard image classification datasets and benchmarked against eight leading NAS methods. Results demonstrate LCoDeepNEAT's ability to swiftly discover competitive CNN architectures with fewer parameters, conserving computational resources, and achieving superior classification accuracy compared to other approaches.
Multimodal Structure Preservation Learning
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2024
Year: 2024

When selecting data to build machine learning models in practical applications, factors such as availability, acquisition cost, and discriminatory power are crucial considerations. Different data modalities often capture unique aspects of the underlying phenomenon, making their utilities complementary. On the other hand, some sources of data host structural information that is key to their value. Hence, the utility of one data type can sometimes be enhanced by matching the structure of another. We propose Multimodal Structure Preservation Learning (MSPL) as a novel method of learning data representations that leverages the clustering structure provided by one data modality to enhance the utility of data from another modality. We demonstrate the effectiveness of MSPL in uncovering latent structures in synthetic time series data and recovering clusters from whole genome sequencing and antimicrobial resistance data using mass spectrometry data in support of epidemiology applications. The results show that MSPL can imbue the learned features with external structures and help reap the beneficial synergies occurring across disparate data modalities.
Efficient Learned Query Execution over Text and Tables [Technical Report]
Venue: arXiv cs.DB 2024
Year: 2024

In this paper, we present ELEET, a novel execution engine that allows one to seamlessly query and process text as a first-class citizen along with tables. To enable such a seamless integration of text and tables, ELEET leverages learned multi-modal operators (MMOps) such as joins and unions that seamlessly combine structured with unstructured textual data. While large language models (LLM) such as GPT-4 are interesting candidates to enable such learned multimodal operations, we deliberately do not follow this trend to enable MMOps, since it would result in high overhead at query runtime. Instead, to enable MMOps, ELEET comes with a more efficient small language model (SLM) that is targeted to extract structured data from text. Thanks to our novel architecture and pre-training procedure, the ELEET-model enables high-accuracy extraction with low overheads. In our evaluation, we compare query execution based on ELEET to baselines leveraging LLMs such as GPT-4 and show that ELEET can speed up multi-modal queries over tables and text by up to 575x without sacrificing accuracy.
A Demonic Outcome Logic for Randomized Nondeterminism
Venue: arXiv cs.LO 2024
Year: 2024

Programs increasingly rely on randomization in applications such as cryptography and machine learning. Analyzing randomized programs has been a fruitful research direction, but there is a gap when programs also exploit nondeterminism (for concurrency, efficiency, or algorithmic design). In this paper, we introduce Demonic Outcome Logic for reasoning about programs that exploit both randomization and nondeterminism. The logic includes several novel features, such as reasoning about multiple executions in tandem and manipulating pre- and postconditions using familiar equational laws -- including the distributive law of probabilistic choices over nondeterministic ones. We also give rules for loops that both establish termination and quantify the distribution of final outcomes from a single premise. We illustrate the reasoning capabilities of Demonic Outcome Logic through several case studies, including the Monty Hall problem, an adversarial protocol for simulating fair coins, and a heuristic based probabilistic SAT solver.
ML Research Benchmark
Venue: arXiv cs.AI 2024
Year: 2024

Artificial intelligence agents are increasingly capable of performing complex tasks across various domains. As these agents advance, there is a growing need to accurately measure and benchmark their capabilities, particularly in accelerating AI research and development. Current benchmarks focus on general machine learning tasks, but lack comprehensive evaluation methods for assessing AI agents' abilities in tackling research-level problems and competition-level challenges in the field of AI. We present the ML Research Benchmark (MLRB), comprising 7 competition-level tasks derived from recent machine learning conference tracks. These tasks span activities typically undertaken by AI researchers, including model training efficiency, pretraining on limited data, domain specific fine-tuning, and model compression. This paper introduces a novel benchmark and evaluates it using agent scaffolds powered by frontier models, including Claude-3 and GPT-4o. The results indicate that the Claude-3.5 Sonnet agent performs best across our benchmark, excelling in planning and developing machine learning models. However, both tested agents struggled to perform non-trivial research iterations. We observed significant performance variations across tasks, highlighting the complexity of AI development and the challenges in creating versatile agent scaffolds. While current AI agents can successfully navigate complex instructions and produce baseline results, they fall short of the capabilities required for advanced AI research. The ML Research Benchmark provides a valuable framework for assessing and comparing AI agents on tasks mirroring real-world AI research challenges.
BBR Fairness Evaluation Using NS-3
Venue: arXiv cs.NI 2024
Year: 2024

This paper evaluates the fairness of BBR congestion control using NS-3 simulator. While BBR improves performance over loss-based methods in single flows, unfairness issues emerge with competing BBR and BBR/Cubic flows. Unfairness correlates with factors like round-trip time and buffer size. The core reason is the lack of responding mechanisms for the flows to converge on fair bandwidth share.
Fuzzerfly Effect: Hardware Fuzzing for Memory Safety
Venue: arXiv cs.CR 2024
Year: 2024

Hardware-level memory vulnerabilities severely threaten computing systems. However, hardware patching is inefficient or difficult postfabrication. We investigate the effectiveness of hardware fuzzing in detecting hardware memory vulnerabilities and highlight challenges and potential future research directions to enhance hardware fuzzing for memory safety.
Are Large-Language Models Graph Algorithmic Reasoners?
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2024
Year: 2024

We seek to address a core challenge facing current Large Language Models (LLMs). LLMs have demonstrated superior performance in many tasks, yet continue to struggle with reasoning problems on explicit graphs that require multiple steps. To address this gap, we introduce a novel benchmark designed to evaluate LLM performance on classical algorithmic reasoning tasks on explicit graphs. Our benchmark encompasses five fundamental algorithms: Breadth-First Search (BFS) and Depth-First Search (DFS) for connectivity, Dijkstra's algorithm and Floyd-Warshall algorithm for all nodes shortest path, and Prim's Minimum Spanning Tree (MST-Prim's) algorithm. Through extensive experimentation, we assess the capabilities of state-of-the-art LLMs in executing these algorithms step-by-step and systematically evaluate their performance at each stage. Our findings highlight the persistent challenges LLMs face in this domain and underscore the necessity for advanced prompting techniques and algorithmic instruction to enhance their graph reasoning abilities. This work presents MAGMA, the first comprehensive benchmark focused on LLMs completing classical graph algorithms, and provides a critical step toward understanding and improving their structured problem-solving skills.
A Cascade Approach for APT Campaign Attribution in System Event Logs: Technique Hunting and Subgraph Matching
Venue: arXiv cs.CR 2024
Year: 2024

As Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) grow increasingly sophisticated, the demand for effective detection methods has intensified. This study addresses the challenge of identifying APT campaign attacks through system event logs. A cascading approach, name SFM, combines Technique hunting and APT campaign attribution. Our approach assumes that real-world system event logs contain a vast majority of normal events interspersed with few suspiciously malicious ones and that these logs are annotated with Techniques of MITRE ATT&CK framework for attack pattern recognition. Then, we attribute APT campaign attacks by aligning detected Techniques with known attack sequences to determine the most likely APT campaign. Evaluations on five real-world APT campaigns indicate that the proposed approach demonstrates reliable performance.
CoGS: Model Agnostic Causality Constrained Counterfactual Explanations using goal-directed ASP
Venue: arXiv cs.AI 2024
Year: 2024

Machine learning models are increasingly used in critical areas such as loan approvals and hiring, yet they often function as black boxes, obscuring their decision-making processes. Transparency is crucial, as individuals need explanations to understand decisions, primarily if the decisions result in an undesired outcome. Our work introduces CoGS (Counterfactual Generation with s(CASP)), a model-agnostic framework capable of generating counterfactual explanations for classification models. CoGS leverages the goal-directed Answer Set Programming system s(CASP) to compute realistic and causally consistent modifications to feature values, accounting for causal dependencies between them. By using rule-based machine learning algorithms (RBML), notably the FOLD-SE algorithm, CoGS extracts the underlying logic of a statistical model to generate counterfactual solutions. By tracing a step-by-step path from an undesired outcome to a desired one, CoGS offers interpretable and actionable explanations of the changes required to achieve the desired outcome. We present details of the CoGS framework along with its evaluation.
Cops & Robber on Periodic Temporal Graphs
Venue: arXiv cs.DM 2024
Year: 2024

We consider the Cops and Robber pursuit-evasion game when the edge-set of the graph is allowed to change in time, possibly at every round. Specifically, the game is played on an infinite periodic sequence $\mathcal{G} = (G_0, \dots, G_{p-1})^*$ of graphs on the same set $V$ of $n$ vertices: in round $t$, the topology of $\mathcal{G}$ is $G_i=(V,E_i)$ where $i\equiv t \pmod{p}$. Concentrating on the case of a single cop, we provide a characterization of copwin periodic temporal graphs, establishing several basic properties on their nature, and extending to the temporal domain classical C&R concepts such as covers and corners. Based on these results, we design an efficient algorithm for determining if a periodic temporal graph is copwin. We also consider the case of $k>1$ cops. By shifting from a representation in terms of directed graphs to one in terms of directed multi-hypergraphs, we prove that all the fundamental properties established for $k=1$ continue to hold, providing a characterization of $k$-copwin periodic graphs, as well as a general strategy to determine if a periodic graph is $k$-copwin. Our results do not rely on any assumption on properties such as connectivity, symmetry, reflexivity held by the individual graphs in the sequence. They are established for a unified version of the game that includes the standard games studied in the literature, both for undirected and directed graphs, and both when the players are fully active and when they are not. They hold also for a variety of settings not considered in the literature.
Unbiased Regression Loss for DETRs
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2024
Year: 2024

In this paper, we introduce a novel unbiased regression loss for DETR-based detectors. The conventional $L_{1}$ regression loss tends to bias towards larger boxes, as they disproportionately contribute more towards the overall loss compared to smaller boxes. Consequently, the detection performance for small objects suffers. To alleviate this bias, the proposed new unbiased loss, termed Sized $L_{1}$ loss, normalizes the size of all boxes based on their individual width and height. Our experiments demonstrate consistent improvements in both fully-supervised and semi-supervised settings using the MS-COCO benchmark dataset.
IM-GIV: an effective integrity monitoring scheme for tightly-coupled GNSS/INS/Vision integration based on factor graph optimization
Venue: arXiv cs.RO 2024
Year: 2024

Global Navigation Satellite System/Inertial Navigation System (GNSS/INS)/Vision integration based on factor graph optimization (FGO) has recently attracted extensive attention in navigation and robotics community. Integrity monitoring (IM) capability is required when FGO-based integrated navigation system is used for safety-critical applications. However, traditional researches on IM of integrated navigation system are mostly based on Kalman filter. It is urgent to develop effective IM scheme for FGO-based GNSS/INS/Vision integration. In this contribution, the position error bounding formula to ensure the integrity of the GNSS/INS/Vision integration based on FGO is designed and validated for the first time. It can be calculated by the linearized equations from the residuals of GNSS pseudo-range, IMU pre-integration and visual measurements. The specific position error bounding is given in the case of GNSS, INS and visual measurement faults. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate and validate the performance of the proposed position error bounding. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed position error bounding for the GNSS/INS/Vision integration based on FGO can correctly fit the position error against different fault modes, and the availability of integrity in six fault modes is 100% after correct and timely fault exclusion.
Backdoor Attack Against Vision Transformers via Attention Gradient-Based Image Erosion
Venue: arXiv cs.CV 2024
Year: 2024

Vision Transformers (ViTs) have outperformed traditional Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) across various computer vision tasks. However, akin to CNN, ViTs are vulnerable to backdoor attacks, where the adversary embeds the backdoor into the victim model, causing it to make wrong predictions about testing samples containing a specific trigger. Existing backdoor attacks against ViTs have the limitation of failing to strike an optimal balance between attack stealthiness and attack effectiveness. In this work, we propose an Attention Gradient-based Erosion Backdoor (AGEB) targeted at ViTs. Considering the attention mechanism of ViTs, AGEB selectively erodes pixels in areas of maximal attention gradient, embedding a covert backdoor trigger. Unlike previous backdoor attacks against ViTs, AGEB achieves an optimal balance between attack stealthiness and attack effectiveness, ensuring the trigger remains invisible to human detection while preserving the model's accuracy on clean samples. Extensive experimental evaluations across various ViT architectures and datasets confirm the effectiveness of AGEB, achieving a remarkable Attack Success Rate (ASR) without diminishing Clean Data Accuracy (CDA). Furthermore, the stealthiness of AGEB is rigorously validated, demonstrating minimal visual discrepancies between the clean and the triggered images.
Byzantine-Robust Federated Learning: An Overview With Focus on Developing Sybil-based Attacks to Backdoor Augmented Secure Aggregation Protocols
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2024
Year: 2024

Federated Learning (FL) paradigms enable large numbers of clients to collaboratively train Machine Learning models on private data. However, due to their multi-party nature, traditional FL schemes are left vulnerable to Byzantine attacks that attempt to hurt model performance by injecting malicious backdoors. A wide variety of prevention methods have been proposed to protect frameworks from such attacks. This paper provides a exhaustive and updated taxonomy of existing methods and frameworks, before zooming in and conducting an in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Robustness of Federated Learning (RoFL) protocol. From there, we propose two novel Sybil-based attacks that take advantage of vulnerabilities in RoFL. Finally, we conclude with comprehensive proposals for future testing, describe and detail implementation of the proposed attacks, and offer direction for improvements in the RoFL protocol as well as Byzantine-robust frameworks as a whole.
MassiveGNN: Efficient Training via Prefetching for Massively Connected Distributed Graphs
Venue: arXiv cs.DC 2024
Year: 2024

Graph Neural Networks (GNN) are indispensable in learning from graph-structured data, yet their rising computational costs, especially on massively connected graphs, pose significant challenges in terms of execution performance. To tackle this, distributed-memory solutions such as partitioning the graph to concurrently train multiple replicas of GNNs are in practice. However, approaches requiring a partitioned graph usually suffer from communication overhead and load imbalance, even under optimal partitioning and communication strategies due to irregularities in the neighborhood minibatch sampling. This paper proposes practical trade-offs for improving the sampling and communication overheads for representation learning on distributed graphs (using popular GraphSAGE architecture) by developing a parameterized continuous prefetch and eviction scheme on top of the state-of-the-art Amazon DistDGL distributed GNN framework, demonstrating about 15-40% improvement in end-to-end training performance on the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center's (NERSC) Perlmutter supercomputer for various OGB datasets.
An Iterative Algorithm for Regularized Non-negative Matrix Factorizations
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2024
Year: 2024

We generalize the non-negative matrix factorization algorithm of Lee and Seung to accept a weighted norm, and to support ridge and Lasso regularization. We recast the Lee and Seung multiplicative update as an additive update which does not get stuck on zero values. We apply the companion R package rnnmf to the problem of finding a reduced rank representation of a database of cocktails.
Robotic State Recognition with Image-to-Text Retrieval Task of Pre-Trained Vision-Language Model and Black-Box Optimization
Venue: arXiv cs.RO 2024
Year: 2024

State recognition of the environment and objects, such as the open/closed state of doors and the on/off of lights, is indispensable for robots that perform daily life support and security tasks. Until now, state recognition methods have been based on training neural networks from manual annotations, preparing special sensors for the recognition, or manually programming to extract features from point clouds or raw images. In contrast, we propose a robotic state recognition method using a pre-trained vision-language model, which is capable of Image-to-Text Retrieval (ITR) tasks. We prepare several kinds of language prompts in advance, calculate the similarity between these prompts and the current image by ITR, and perform state recognition. By applying the optimal weighting to each prompt using black-box optimization, state recognition can be performed with higher accuracy. Experiments show that this theory enables a variety of state recognitions by simply preparing multiple prompts without retraining neural networks or manual programming. In addition, since only prompts and their weights need to be prepared for each recognizer, there is no need to prepare multiple models, which facilitates resource management. It is possible to recognize the open/closed state of transparent doors, the state of whether water is running or not from a faucet, and even the qualitative state of whether a kitchen is clean or not, which have been challenging so far, through language.
Community search signatures as foundation features for human-centered geospatial modeling
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2024
Year: 2024

Aggregated relative search frequencies offer a unique composite signal reflecting people's habits, concerns, interests, intents, and general information needs, which are not found in other readily available datasets. Temporal search trends have been successfully used in time series modeling across a variety of domains such as infectious diseases, unemployment rates, and retail sales. However, most existing applications require curating specialized datasets of individual keywords, queries, or query clusters, and the search data need to be temporally aligned with the outcome variable of interest. We propose a novel approach for generating an aggregated and anonymized representation of search interest as foundation features at the community level for geospatial modeling. We benchmark these features using spatial datasets across multiple domains. In zip codes with a population greater than 3000 that cover over 95% of the contiguous US population, our models for predicting missing values in a 20% set of holdout counties achieve an average $R^2$ score of 0.74 across 21 health variables, and 0.80 across 6 demographic and environmental variables. Our results demonstrate that these search features can be used for spatial predictions without strict temporal alignment, and that the resulting models outperform spatial interpolation and state of the art methods using satellite imagery features.
Enhancing binary classification: A new stacking method via leveraging computational geometry
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2024
Year: 2024

Stacking, a potent ensemble learning method, leverages a meta-model to harness the strengths of multiple base models, thereby enhancing prediction accuracy. Traditional stacking techniques typically utilize established learning models, such as logistic regression, as the meta-model. This paper introduces a novel approach that integrates computational geometry techniques, specifically solving the maximum weighted rectangle problem, to develop a new meta-model for binary classification. Our method is evaluated on multiple open datasets, with statistical analysis showing its stability and demonstrating improvements in accuracy compared to current state-of-the-art stacking methods with out-of-fold predictions. This new stacking method also boasts two significant advantages: enhanced interpretability and the elimination of hyperparameter tuning for the meta-model, thus increasing its practicality. These merits make our method highly applicable not only in stacking ensemble learning but also in various real-world applications, such as hospital health evaluation scoring and bank credit scoring systems, offering a fresh evaluation perspective.