What technique involves injecting randomized data into software for testing purposes?

Fuzzing is a software testing technique that involves injecting random or unexpected data into a program to identify vulnerabilities and errors. The primary goal of fuzzing is to expose potential security weaknesses by observing the software’s behavior under abnormal conditions. By giving the program inputs that it might not typically encounter during normal operations, testers can uncover bugs, crashes, and security issues that could be exploited by attackers.

Fuzzing is particularly useful because it automates the process of input generation and can test a wide range of inputs more quickly than manual testing methods. This technique is widely used in security testing to ensure that applications can handle erroneous or malicious input without failing or leaking sensitive information, thus enhancing the security posture of the software.

In contrast, debugging typically focuses on identifying and correcting code errors rather than testing for security vulnerabilities. Penetration testing is a more structured approach where testers simulate attacks to evaluate the security of a system, and code review involves a thorough examination of the source code for security flaws without actively testing the software with data inputs.