Efficient Network Protection Games Against Multiple Types Of Strategic Attackers

This paper considers network protection games against different types of attackers for a heterogeneous network system with N units. A defender, by applying resources to networked units, can decrease the units’ vulnerabilities. At the same time, the defender needs to take into account the cost of using defense resources. Two non-zero sum Nash games against two different types of attackers are studied. The first type tries to maximize damage based on the value of security assets related to networked units, while the second type aims at infiltrating the network. The analyses show that there exists a cut-off index determining the set of units that will be protected in the equilibrium strategies of the first game, while either all units or none will be covered in the equilibria of the second game. An application of the network protection game to secure wireless communication networks is presented.