Problem Statement

For Goal-Oriented Action Planning

1 Context

There are numerous threats that endanger the security of computer systems. Various programs have been developed to counter these threats and protect the integrity of the system. However, many of these programs address problems sequentially. Their set of actions is predetermined. As such, certain attackers might be able to take advantage of this prearranged, predictable sequence of actions.

2 Impact

Cyber attacks have continued to change and evolve as technology has improved. For every improvement in cybersecurity technologies, cybercriminals have found new ways to counteract the progress in security. Therefore, it is up to the developers of cybersecurity programs to continue to build on existing software. Upgraded security leads to a decreased risk of users' personal information being stolen. If developers can create a program that is unpredictable and able to adapt to address multiple problems at once, cybercriminals may have a harder time executing attacks.

3 Objectives

Goal-Oriented Action Planning (GOAP) is a technique utilized in game programming. GOAP features a set of pre-defined actions, but the sequence of actions is not preestablished and is instead determined by a planner algorithm. This allows for emergent behavior as the program assembles a sequence of actions that the developer did not directly implement. As such, this project aims to utilize GOAP in a cybersecurity defense program in order to deduce if the emergent actions are able to more effectively defend the device than predetermined actions.

4 Research Question(s)

(Problem) Certain cybersecurity programs may be limited to a specific order that they must perform actions in, causing them to become predictable.

(Question) How can developers create programs that address problems in a varying, dynamic order?