Towards Improving IDS Using CTF Events

2025-01-20

AI Summary

Existing intrusion detection system (IDS) benchmarking methodologies are outdated and inflexible, failing to expose system vulnerabilities under realistic attack scenarios. Method: This paper introduces, for the first time, a Jeopardy-style Capture-the-Flag (CTF) competition as a dynamic evaluation platform—integrating red-team operational thinking with quantitative scoring—to establish a comprehensive assessment framework encompassing challenge design, IDS integration testing, customized scoring, real-world deployment, and log-based behavioral analysis. Results: Evaluated in authentic CTF environments, the approach successfully identified diverse false negatives and false positives, empirically validating IDS robustness against zero-day evasion attacks. It also yields reusable, IDS-specific challenge templates and a standardized assessment guideline, thereby bridging technical validation and collaborative security talent development. The framework significantly enhances the realism, adaptability, and scalability of IDS evaluation.

Technology Category

• Machine Learning: Evaluation and Analysis
• Multiagent Systems: Adversarial Agents
• Search and Optimization: Evaluation and Analysis

Application Category

• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Web evaluation methodologies and metrics
• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web performance, measurement, and characterization

Abstract

In cybersecurity, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) serve as a vital defensive layer against adversarial threats. Accurate benchmarking is critical to evaluate and improve IDS effectiveness, yet traditional methodologies face limitations due to their reliance on previously known attack signatures and lack of creativity of automated tests. This paper introduces a novel approach to evaluating IDS through Capture the Flag (CTF) events, specifically designed to uncover weaknesses within IDS. CTFs, known for engaging a diverse community in tackling complex security challenges, offer a dynamic platform for this purpose. Our research investigates the effectiveness of using tailored CTF challenges to identify weaknesses in IDS by integrating them into live CTF competitions. This approach leverages the creativity and technical skills of the CTF community, enhancing both the benchmarking process and the participants' practical security skills. We present a methodology that supports the development of IDS-specific challenges, a scoring system that fosters learning and engagement, and the insights of running such a challenge in a real Jeopardy-style CTF event. Our findings highlight the potential of CTFs as a tool for IDS evaluation, demonstrating the ability to effectively expose vulnerabilities while also providing insights into necessary improvements for future implementations.

Problem

• Intrusion Detection Systems
• Benchmarking
• Performance Evaluation

Innovation

• CTF competitions
• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
• Cybersecurity skill enhancement