Identification of copied ML model

A method for identifying whether a machine learning (ML) model belongs to a manufacturer of the ML model or not, the method comprising:

• providing an initial electronic file as input to an initial ML model for processing, wherein content of the initial electronic file is defined by at least one marker, and wherein an output of the initial electronic file is determined by the initial ML model according to an initial processing strategy, the output being exclusive only for electronic files comprising the at least one marker;
• feeding the output of the initial electronic file as input to a reverse classifier that generates a second electronic file as its output;
• providing the second electronic file as input to a second ML model for processing, wherein the second electronic file represents content that causes the second ML model to determine an output for the second electronic file according to a first processing strategy, and wherein the second electronic file comprises the at least one marker embedded in the electronic file by the manufacturer and that, only when detected by the second ML model, causes the output of the second electronic file to be determined according to a second processing strategy, the second processing strategy being unrelated to the first processing strategy and deterministically defined by the at least one marker;
• and
• identifying the second ML model as belonging to the manufacturer only when the output of the second electronic file is by the second ML model determined according to the second processing strategy.

An electronic device for a manufacturer of a machine learning (ML) model to embed at least one marker in an electronic file, the electronic device comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the electronic device is operative to:
• provide an initial electronic file as input to an initial ML model for processing, wherein content of the initial electronic file is defined by the at least one marker, and wherein an output of the initial electronic file is determined by the initial ML model according to an initial processing strategy, the output being exclusive only for electronic files comprising the at least one marker;
• feed the output of the initial electronic file as input to a reverse classifier that generates a second electronic file as its output;
• obtain the second electronic file, wherein the second electronic file represents content that causes a second ML model to determine an output for the second electronic file according to a first processing strategy;
• and
• embed, in the second electronic file, the at least one marker that, only when detected by the second ML model, causes the output of the second electronic file to be determined according to a second processing strategy, the second processing strategy being unrelated to the first processing strategy and deterministically defined by the at least one marker.

An electronic device for identifying whether a machine learning (ML) model belongs to a manufacturer of the ML model or not, the electronic device comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the electronic device is operative to:
• provide an initial electronic file as input to an initial ML model for processing, wherein content of the initial electronic file is defined by at least one marker, and wherein an output of the initial electronic file is determined by the initial ML model according to an initial processing strategy, the output being exclusive only for electronic files comprising the at least one marker;
• feed the output of the initial electronic file as input to a reverse classifier that generates a second electronic file as its output;
• provide the second electronic file as input to a second ML model for processing, wherein the second electronic file represents content that causes the second ML model to determine an output for the second electronic file according to a first processing strategy;
• and wherein the second electronic file comprises at least one marker embedded in the second electronic file by the manufacturer and that, only when detected by the ML model, causes the output of the second electronic file to be determined according to a second processing strategy, the second processing strategy being unrelated to the first processing strategy and deterministically defined by the at least one marker;
• and
• identify the second ML model as belonging to the manufacturer only when the output of the second electronic file is by the second ML model determined according to the second processing strategy.