Game Theoretic Modeling of Security and Interdependency in a Public Cloud

Abstract

Abstract-As cloud computing thrives, many small organizations are joining a public cloud to take advantage of its multiple benefits. Cloud computing is cost efficient, i.e., cloud user can reduce spending on technology infrastructure and have easy access to their information without up-front or long-term commitment of resources. Moreover, a cloud user can dynamically grow and shrink the resources provisioned to an application on demand. Despite those benefits, cyber security concern is the main reason many large organizations with sensitive information such as the Department of Defense have been reluctant to join a public cloud. This is because different public cloud users share a common platform such as the hypervisor. A common platform intensifies the well-known problem of cyber security interdependency. In fact, an attacker can compromise a virtual machine (VM) to launch an attack on the hypervisor which if compromised can instantly yield the compromising of all the VMs running on top of that hypervisor. Therefore, a user that does not invest in cyber security imposes a negative externality on others. This research uses the mathematical framework of game theory to analyze the cause and effect of interdependency in a public cloud platform. This work shows that there are multiple possible Nash equilibria of the public cloud security game. However, the players use a specific Nash equilibrium profile depending on the probability that the hypervisor is compromised given a successful attack on a user and the total expense required to invest in security. Finally, there is no Nash equilibrium in which all the users in a public cloud will fully invest in security.

Security-Aware Virtual Machine Allocation in the Cloud: A Game Theoretic Approach

“…One of the larger issues presented in [1] is also present in this paper: interdependency. Interdependency in [1] dealt mainly with the issue of one user's lack of investment compromising the security integrity of another user on the same hypervisor since an attack on the hypervisor may propagate to other users. This is also present in the current paper but emphasized to a much lesser extent and is not the main focus.…”

“…Kamhoua et al [1] viewed attacks on the hypervisor and compromising virtual machines from a game theoretical perspective. One of the larger issues presented in [1] is also present in this paper: interdependency.…”

“…Interdependency in general still plays a crucial role in both papers, however, and the choices of the players reflect the relevant payoffs of the other players as well. In the current paper we resolve the negative externality in [1] that one player imposes on another. Our solution is through effective VM allocation management of the cloud provider to ensure delivery of maximum security for all cloud users.…”

“…First, its focus is on modeling the choices of several rational players in the cloud within a game theoretical framework. We also propose that the solution to the externality problem in [1] is through effective VM allocation management of the cloud provider to ensure delivery of maximum security for all cloud users. Along with solving the externality problem generated inherently by the cloud, our paper also provides the proof that Nash equilibrium will be the optimal solution for our model.…”

Modeling Security and Resource Allocation for Mobile Multi-hop Wireless Neworks Using Game Theory

“…Kamhoua et al [61] proposed a game theoretic model to help the online social network users determine the optimal policy in terms of data sharing using a zero-sum Markov game model. While the authors make the assumption that the probability transition function, the reward and the discount factor are common knowledge among players.…”