Final answer:
Fuzzing is the technique used to test the robustness of software by providing unexpected inputs to find bugs and vulnerabilities. It is not to be confused with DLP, TPM, or HSM, which are security mechanisms for data protection and cryptographic management.
Step-by-step explanation:
The technique of providing unexpected values as input to an application to try to make it crash is known as fuzzing. Fuzzing is a software testing method that involves automatically injecting invalid, unexpected, or random data into a system in order to find security vulnerabilities and bugs that could cause it to crash, behave unexpectedly, or expose sensitive information. The primary goal of fuzzing is to identify weaknesses in software applications that could be exploited by attackers.
There are various types of fuzzing techniques, including mutation-based fuzzing and generation-based fuzzing. Mutation-based fuzzing involves taking existing inputs and manipulating them in random ways to create new test data, whereas generation-based fuzzing requires a more detailed understanding of the input format to generate entirely new inputs. Fuzzing can be applied to a wide range of software components, including network protocols, file formats, and APIs.
Other options mentioned, such as DLP (Data Loss Prevention), TPM (Trusted Platform Module), and HSM (Hardware Security Module), are not related to the technique of intentionally causing crashes or finding vulnerabilities through invalid input. Rather, these are security mechanisms aiming to protect data, ensure the integrity of computing systems, and manage cryptographic keys, respectively.