Explainable and Resilient ML-Based Physical-Layer Attack Detectors

Abstract

Detection of emerging attacks on network infrastructure is a critical aspect of security management. To meet the growing scale and complexity of modern threats, machine learning (ML) techniques offer valuable tools for automating the detection of malicious activities. However, as these techniques become more complex, their internal operations grow increasingly opaque. In this context, we address the need for explainable physical-layer attack detection methods. First, we analyze the inner workings of various classifiers trained to alert about physical layer intrusions, examining how the influence of different monitored parameters varies depending on the type of attack being detected. This analysis not only improves the interpretability of the models but also suggests ways to enhance their design for increased speed. In the second part, we evaluate the detectors' resilience to malicious parameter noising. The results highlight a key trade-off between model speed and resilience. This work serves as a design guideline for developing fast and robust detectors trained on available network monitoring data.