Towards a Nudge-Theoretic Cyber Deception Framework

Kumar, Abhinav; Brahma, Swastik; Kamhoua, Charles A.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130272 Copy

Description

Title

Towards a Nudge-Theoretic Cyber Deception Framework

Author(s)

• Kumar, Abhinav
• Brahma, Swastik
• Kamhoua, Charles A.

Issue Date

2025-09-17

Keyword(s)

• Cyber deception
• Constrained MDP
• Sequential decision-making
• Nudges
• Information fusion

Abstract

In this paper, we present a novel hypothesis testing approach to model an attacker’s process of gathering and processing information during the reconnaissance phase in a nudge-theoretic framework where defender uses nudges to lure the attacker towards the decoy server. Employing the developed framework, we characterize the optimal falsification nudging strategies that a defender can employ to blind the attacker i.e., render the information gathered during reconnaissance ineffective. We further analyze the suggestion nudge, which steers the attacker towards the decoy server, thereby further degrading the attacker’s decision-making capability. We also characterize the defender’s optimal information-highlighting nudging strategy in response to the attacker’s strategic, sequential reconnaissance behavior. Numerical results have been presented to provide important insights into the developed strategies.

Publisher

Allerton Conference on Communication, Control, and Computing

Series/Report Name or Number

2025 61st Allerton Conference on Communication, Control, and Computing Proceedings

ISSN

2836-4503

Type of Resource

Text

Genre of Resource

Conference Paper/Presentation

Language

eng

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130272&&

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 owned by the authors.

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