{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7154499233","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.12359","title":"Compiling Activation Steering into Weights via Null-Space Constraints for Stealthy Backdoors","display_name":"Compiling Activation Steering into Weights via Null-Space Constraints for Stealthy Backdoors","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-04-14","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7154499233","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.12359"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2604.12359","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.12359","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.12359","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5077105641","display_name":"Rui Yin","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1403-0396"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Yin, Rui","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5055367698","display_name":"Tianxu Han","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5732-2292"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Han, Tianxu","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133376324","display_name":"Naen Xu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xu, Naen","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133677434","display_name":"Changjiang Li","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Li, Changjiang","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133670820","display_name":"Ping He","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"He, Ping","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133717297","display_name":"Chunyi Zhou","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhou, Chunyi","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133701526","display_name":"Jun Wang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Wang, Jun","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133711004","display_name":"Zhihui Fu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Fu, Zhihui","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133719713","display_name":"Tianyu Du","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Du, Tianyu","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133679236","display_name":"Jinbao Li","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Li, Jinbao","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5133710882","display_name":"Shouling Ji","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ji, Shouling","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11689","display_name":"Adversarial Robustness in Machine Learning","score":0.9466999769210815,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11689","display_name":"Adversarial Robustness in Machine Learning","score":0.9466999769210815,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11424","display_name":"Security and Verification in Computing","score":0.014499999582767487,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11241","display_name":"Advanced Malware Detection Techniques","score":0.008200000040233135,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1711","display_name":"Signal Processing"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/backdoor","display_name":"Backdoor","score":0.7664999961853027},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/set","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","score":0.5893999934196472},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/reliability","display_name":"Reliability (semiconductor)","score":0.5479000210762024},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/constraint","display_name":"Constraint (computer-aided design)","score":0.5063999891281128},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/decoding-methods","display_name":"Decoding methods","score":0.4745999872684479},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/complement","display_name":"Complement (music)","score":0.4221999943256378},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/prefix","display_name":"Prefix","score":0.39800000190734863}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781045450","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q254569","display_name":"Backdoor","level":2,"score":0.7664999961853027},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.6991999745368958},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177264268","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1514741","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","level":2,"score":0.5893999934196472},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C43214815","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7310987","display_name":"Reliability (semiconductor)","level":3,"score":0.5479000210762024},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776036281","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48769818","display_name":"Constraint (computer-aided design)","level":2,"score":0.5063999891281128},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C57273362","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q576722","display_name":"Decoding methods","level":2,"score":0.4745999872684479},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112313634","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7886648","display_name":"Complement (music)","level":5,"score":0.4221999943256378},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C38652104","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3510521","display_name":"Computer security","level":1,"score":0.4025999903678894},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C141603448","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q134830","display_name":"Prefix","level":2,"score":0.39800000190734863},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C37736160","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1801315","display_name":"Adversarial system","level":2,"score":0.38190001249313354},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C31258907","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1301371","display_name":"Computer network","level":1,"score":0.31139999628067017},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776825360","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1411921","display_name":"Vagueness","level":3,"score":0.30550000071525574},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C165696696","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11287","display_name":"Exploit","level":2,"score":0.2854999899864197},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168167062","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1117970","display_name":"Component (thermodynamics)","level":2,"score":0.28529998660087585},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C184337299","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1437428","display_name":"Semantics (computer science)","level":2,"score":0.2786000072956085},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11413529","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8366","display_name":"Algorithm","level":1,"score":0.2775000035762787},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C33676613","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13415176","display_name":"Dimension (graph theory)","level":2,"score":0.2768999934196472},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C68767595","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1677999","display_name":"Contiguity","level":2,"score":0.27160000801086426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C140547941","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7797194","display_name":"Threat model","level":2,"score":0.25380000472068787}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2604.12359","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.12359","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2604.12359","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2604.12359","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Safety-aligned":[0],"large":[1],"language":[2],"models":[3],"(LLMs)":[4],"are":[5],"increasingly":[6],"deployed":[7],"in":[8],"real-world":[9],"pipelines,":[10],"yet":[11,94],"this":[12,106],"deployment":[13],"also":[14],"enlarges":[15],"the":[16,87,111,127,146,163],"supply-chain":[17],"attack":[18,199],"surface:":[19],"adversaries":[20],"can":[21],"distribute":[22],"backdoored":[23],"checkpoints":[24],"that":[25,72,125,142,162],"behave":[26],"normally":[27],"under":[28],"standard":[29],"evaluation":[30],"but":[31],"jailbreak":[32,192],"when":[33,145],"a":[34,58,69,100,122,138,158,177,184],"hidden":[35],"trigger":[36,59,147],"is":[37,148,173],"present.":[38,149],"Recent":[39],"post-hoc":[40],"weight-editing":[41],"methods":[42,66],"offer":[43],"an":[44,61,74],"efficient":[45],"approach":[46],"to":[47,56,60,96,117],"injecting":[48],"such":[49],"backdoors":[50],"by":[51,109],"directly":[52],"modifying":[53],"model":[54,88],"weights":[55],"map":[57],"attacker-specified":[62],"response.":[63],"However,":[64],"existing":[65],"typically":[67],"optimize":[68],"token-level":[70],"mapping":[71],"forces":[73],"affirmative":[75],"prefix":[76],"(e.g.,":[77],"``Sure''),":[78],"which":[79],"does":[80],"not":[81],"guarantee":[82],"sustained":[83],"harmful":[84],"output":[85],"--":[86],"may":[89],"begin":[90],"with":[91],"apparent":[92],"agreement":[93],"revert":[95],"safety-aligned":[97,189],"refusal":[98,132],"within":[99],"few":[101],"decoding":[102],"steps.":[103],"We":[104,120],"address":[105],"reliability":[107],"gap":[108],"shifting":[110],"backdoor":[112],"objective":[113],"from":[114],"surface":[115],"tokens":[116],"internal":[118],"representations.":[119],"extract":[121],"steering":[123],"vector":[124],"captures":[126],"difference":[128],"between":[129],"compliant":[130],"and":[131,134,153,182,191,205],"behaviors,":[133],"compile":[135],"it":[136],"into":[137],"persistent":[139],"weight":[140],"modification":[141],"activates":[143],"only":[144,176],"To":[150],"preserve":[151],"stealthiness":[152],"benign":[154],"utility,":[155],"we":[156],"impose":[157],"null-space":[159],"constraint":[160],"so":[161],"injected":[164],"edit":[165],"remains":[166],"dormant":[167],"on":[168],"clean":[169],"inputs.":[170],"The":[171],"method":[172,195],"efficient,":[174],"requiring":[175],"small":[178],"set":[179],"of":[180],"examples":[181],"admitting":[183],"closed-form":[185],"solution.":[186],"Across":[187],"multiple":[188],"LLMs":[190],"benchmarks,":[193],"our":[194],"achieves":[196],"high":[197],"triggered":[198],"success":[200],"while":[201],"maintaining":[202],"non-triggered":[203],"safety":[204],"general":[206],"utility.":[207]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-01T06:00:48.157686","created_date":"2026-04-16T00:00:00"}