The Need for Practical Legal and Ethical Guidelines for Explainable AI-based Network Intrusion Detection Systems

When applied in network intrusion detection, xAI techniques contribute to better detection and mitigation of cyberthreats. However, the use of explainability techniques raises legal and ethical implications. Yet, no guidelines have been proposed concerning specifically the use of xAI techniques in intrusion detection. This paper fills this gap and explores the potential legal and ethical issues associated with xAI in network intrusion detection systems and emphasizes the need for responsible deployment and establishing relevant guidelines. Thus, a set of recommendations and guidelines are proposed, considering different stakeholders’ perspectives and needs, which could serve as a starting point when designing regulatory frameworks and foster the dialogue between stakeholders and users. The article concludes by discussing future research directions.