I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who made the completion of this Master’s thesis possible.

First and foremost, I am profoundly thankful to my supervisor, Prof. Zhenkai Liang, whose expertise, understanding, and patience, added considerably to my graduate experience. His willingness to give his time so generously has been very much appreciated.

I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to the examiners of this thesis. Their insightful feedback and constructive critiques have been invaluable in refining my research and enhancing the quality of this work. Their rigorous evaluation and valuable perspectives have challenged me to think more deeply.

My heartfelt thanks also go to all the educators, Prof. Roland Yap, Prof. Wong Weng Fai, Prof. Abhik Roychoudhury and Prof. Xiaokui Xiao and Prof. Chang Ee Chien, who have imparted their knowledge throughout my academic voyage. The wisdom I have gained from these teachers has been the foundation upon which this work stands.

Special acknowledgment goes to my colleagues at the National Cybersecurity R&D Laboratories (NCL), whose camaraderie and intellectual exchanges have not only made the workplace a hub of innovation but also a place of enjoyable and memorable experiences.

I am also indebted to the staff of School of Computing, whose administrative and technical support made my research endeavor a smooth process.

I am grateful to my peers, Chuqi, Jiahao, Jianing, Jun, Kaihang, Tengfei, Yuancheng, Yueci and Yutong, for all the fun we have had during the last two years. I have deeply appreciated your companionship, support, and good humor.

I must express my very profound gratitude to my parents, Xiaowei and Xia, and to my girlfriend Siyu for providing me with unfailing support and continuous encouragement throughout my years of study and through the process of researching and writing this thesis. This accomplishment would not have been possible without them. Thank you.

Finally, I would like to thank all my friends, who supported me in writing, and in life.