Feature Importance-Based Backdoor Attack in NSL-KDD

In this study, we explore the implications of advancing AI technology on the safety of machine learning models, specifically in decision-making across diverse applications. Our research delves into the domain of network intrusion detection, covering rule-based and anomaly-based detection methods. There is a growing interest in anomaly detection within network intrusion detection systems, accompanied by an increase in adversarial attacks using maliciously crafted examples. However, the vulnerability of intrusion detection systems to backdoor attacks, a form of adversarial attack, is frequently overlooked in untrustworthy environments. This paper proposes a backdoor attack scenario, centering on the “AlertNet” intrusion detection model and utilizing the NSL-KDD dataset, a benchmark widely employed in NIDS research. The attack involves modifying features at the packet level, as network datasets are typically constructed from packets using statistical methods. Evaluation metrics include accuracy, attack success rate, baseline comparisons with clean and random data, and comparisons involving the proposed backdoor. Additionally, the study employs KL-divergence and OneClassSVM for distribution comparisons to demonstrate resilience against manual inspection by a human expert from outliers. In conclusion, the paper outlines applications and limitations and emphasizes the direction and importance of research on backdoor attacks in network intrusion detection systems.