Securing Distributed Networks: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning and Game Theory for Attack Detection and Mitigation

Dr. Md Tariqul Islam, Syracuse University

10-11am January 30, 2025;  ITE 459, UMBC and online

Reinforcement learning (RL) has demonstrated remarkable success across diverse domains, from mastering complex games to optimizing real-time feedback systems in robotics and industrial control. However, its potential in cybersecurity, particularly for autonomous attack detection and mitigation in distributed systems, remains largely underexplored. Traditional single-agent RL approaches struggle in decentralized environments where multiple entities make independent decisions, necessitating multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL). Our research explores blockchain networks as an ideal test case due to their decentralized architecture and trustless consensus mechanisms. We developed a novel MARL-based consensus mechanism for Proof-of-Stake blockchains, enabling nodes to collaboratively identify and penalize malicious behavior while preserving decentralization. This approach effectively mitigated six major blockchain attack types with minimal computational overhead. Building on these results, we propose integrating game-theoretic principles into the MARL framework to model adversarial strategies and enhance system resilience. The synergy between reinforcement learning and game theory establishes a robust foundation for dynamic and adaptive security in distributed systems, effectively addressing current vulnerabilities while anticipating and countering future threats. This integrated approach enables the design of resilient, scalable defense mechanisms tailored to the complex dynamics of decentralized architectures.