Security in Networks: A Game-Theoretic Approach

This paper explores network security as a game between attacker and defender. In this game, the attacker and defender both anticipate each other's best strategy. Thus, instead of focusing on the best response to an attack, the paper analyzes the Nash equilibrium for the joint strategies. The paper studies two types of problem. The first type concerns networks where the data can be modified by an intruder. Given the probability that such an intruder exists, the network user decides whether to trust the data he observes. When present, the intruder chooses how to corrupt the data. The second type models virus attacks. The virus designer decides how aggressive the virus should be and the defender chooses a mechanism to detect the virus. If the virus is too aggressive, it is easy to detect. Accordingly, there is an optimum level of aggressiveness.