Smart Computer Security Audit: Reinforcement Learning with a Deep Neural Network Approximator

A significant challenge in modern computer security is the growing skill gap as intruder capabilities increase, making it necessary to begin automating elements of penetration testing so analysts can contend with the growing number of cyber threats. In this paper, we attempt to assist human analysts by automating a single host penetration attack. To do so, a smart agent performs different attack sequences to find vulnerabilities in a target system. As it does so, it accumulates knowledge, learns new attack sequences and improves its own internal penetration testing logic. As a result, this agent (AgentPen for simplicity) is able to successfully penetrate hosts it has never interacted with before. A computer security administrator using this tool would receive a comprehensive, automated sequence of actions leading to a security breach, highlighting potential vulnerabilities, and reducing the amount of menial tasks a typical penetration tester would need to execute. To achieve autonomy, we apply an unsupervised machine learning algorithm, Q-learning, with an approximator that incorporates a deep neural network architecture. The security audit itself is modelled as a Markov Decision Process in order to test a number of decisionmaking strategies and compare their convergence to optimality. A series of experimental results is presented to show how this approach can be effectively used to automate penetration testing using a scalable, i.e. not exhaustive, and adaptive approach

Autoencoder based anomaly detection for SCADA networks

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are industrial control systems that are used to monitor critical infrastructures such as airports, transport, health, and public services of national importance. These are cyber physical systems, which are increasingly integrated with networks and internet of things devices. However, this results in a larger attack surface for cyber threats, making it important to identify and thwart cyber-attacks by detecting anomalous network traffic patterns. Compared to other techniques, as well as detecting known attack patterns, machine learning can also detect new and evolving threats. Autoencoders are a type of neural network that generates a compressed representation of its input data and through reconstruction loss of inputs can help identify anomalous data. This paper proposes the use of autoencoders for unsupervised anomaly-based intrusion detection using an appropriate differentiating threshold from the loss distribution and demonstrate improvements in results compared to other techniques for SCADA gas pipeline dataset

Network Intrusion Detection Using Autoencode Neural Network

In today's interconnected digital landscape, safeguarding computer networks against unauthorized access and cyber threats is of paramount importance. NIDS play a crucial role in identifying and mitigating potential security breaches. This research paper explores the application of autoencoder neural networks, a subset of deep learning techniques, in the realm of Network Intrusion Detection.Autoencoder neural networks are known for their ability to learn and represent data in a compressed, low-dimensional form. This study investigates their potential in modeling network traffic patterns and identifying anomalous activities. By training autoencoder networks on both normal and malicious network traffic data, we aim to create effective intrusion detection models that can distinguish between benign and malicious network behavior.The paper provides an in-depth analysis of the architecture and training methodologies of autoencoder neural networks for intrusion detection. It also explores various data preprocessing techniques and feature engineering approaches to enhance the model's performance. Additionally, the research evaluates the robustness and scalability of autoencoder-based NIDS in real-world network environments. Furthermore, ethical considerations in network intrusion detection, including privacy concerns and false positive rates, are discussed. It addresses the need for a balanced approach that ensures network security while respecting user privacy and minimizing disruptions. operation. This approach compresses the majority samples & increases the minority sample count in tough samples so that the IDS can achieve greater classification accuracy