Computer Science ETDs

Jacob Hobbs

Publication Date

5-1-2015

Abstract

FlipIt is an abstract cyber-security game published in 2012 to investigate optimal strategies for managing security resources in response to Advanced Persistent Threats. In this thesis, we place FlipIt within a more general category of 'stealthy move' games, and provide an approach towards solving such games. We produce a new stealthy move game, 'Dominion', and derive Nash equilibria for it. We establish bounds for the optimal rates of play and benefits for FlipIt, and show that the best strategy to apply to real cyber security threats includes presenting a credible threat to potential players. We also explore the effects of initial game information asymmetry in Dominion.

Language

English

Keywords

FlipIt, cyber security, game theory, stealthy move game

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Computer Science

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Department of Computer Science

First Committee Member (Chair)

Forrest, Stephanie

Second Committee Member

Verzi, Stephen

Project Sponsors

Sandia National Laboratories

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