A Zero-Trust Model for Intrusion Detection in Drone Networks

Abstract

Today's worldwide introduction of drone fleets in a range of industrial applications has led to numerous network security issues, opening drones up to cyberthreats. In response to these challenges, an innovative approach has been proposed to protect drone fleet networks against potentially dangerous cyberattacks. Indeed, drones are considered as flying computers, and the proposed approach takes into account their complex network structure and communication protocols. The proposed system is designed around a multi-agent architecture, with a hybrid zero-trust detection mechanism against known and emerging cyberthreats. The CICIDS2017 dataset was exploited after performing some essential pre-processing tasks including data cleaning, balancing, binarization and dimension reduction. The proposed approach guaranteed high levels of accuracy and scalability, enabling an effective response to potentially dangerous cyber threat scenarios threatening drone fleets. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed system, a test portion of CICIDS2017 was used. The accuracy in recognizing benign network traffic reached 99.99% with a very low false alarm rate, ensuring the system's effectiveness against known and unknown cyber threats. Extensive experimental testing has been carried out on never-before-seen data, highlighting the system's remarkable ability to rapidly recognize cyber threats in real time, thereby enhancing the overall security of drone networks. The contribution of the proposed approach is significant for drone network security, as it introduces a comprehensive model designed to meet the specific security requirements of drone fleets. Finally, the proposed approach offers practical prospects for improving the security of drone applications. Keywords-Fleet of drones; security; zero trust; intrusions; cybersecurity; zero day; Multi-Agent inter-drone communication and real-time data collection [12].There are a wide variety of possible deployments for drone fleets, from surveillance and inspection to precision farming, logistics and delivery, and disaster relief. [13] 2) Communication modes of a fleet of drones: A drone fleet can be designed based on four possible communication architectures: centralized communication architecture, cellular communication architecture, satellite communication architecture and adhoc communication architecture [14] [15]. a) Satellite communication architecture: This architecture involves establishing communications between drones via satellite connections as shown in Fig. 2. Such links offer global coverage and are therefore particularly well suited to applications requiring wide coverage in remote or extensive areas. [16]