[PhD defence] 15/07/2025 - Ines Carole KOMBOU SIHOMNOU: "Accusatory and Proactive Model for Cyber Deception" (UPR LIA)

Ms INES CAROLE KOMBOU SIHOMNOU will publicly defend her thesis entitled: "Modèle Accusatoire et Proactif pour la Cyber Déception" (Accusatory and Proactive Model for Cyber Deception) directed by Mr Abderrahim BENSLIMANE and Mr Gabriel DEUGOUE, under joint supervision with the University of Dschang (CAMEROON), on Tuesday 15 July 2025.

Laboratory

• UPR 4128 LIA - Avignon Computing Laboratory

Composition of the jury

Mr Abderrahim BENSLIMANE	Avignon University	Thesis supervisor
Mr Gabriel DEUGOUé	University of Dschang	Thesis co-director
Yezekael HAYEL	Avignon university	Examiner
Mr Vianney KENGNE TCHENDJI	University of Dschang	Examiner
Mr Ahmed HEMIDA ANWAR	DEVCOM Army research laboratory	Examiner
Mr Chadi ASSI	Concordia University	Rapporteur
Mr Guillaume DOYEN	IMT Atlantique Bretagne-Pays de la Loire	Rapporteur
Mr Charles KAMHOUA	DEVCOM Army research laboratory	Guest

Summary

The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the most widely studied technological paradigms today. It refers to a network of physical objects interconnected via the Internet, capable of collecting, exchanging and processing data using sensors, software and other integrated technologies. The IoT encompasses a wide range of devices, from domestic equipment to industrial infrastructures, enabling them to interact autonomously in various fields such as the environment, agriculture, industry, health, transport, defence and many others. In this context, sensors play a central role as essential elements of data collection. They measure and detect variables such as temperature, humidity or vibrations, transmitting this information to other devices via wireless networks.

This data is crucial for automated decision-making processes in many sectors. However, because of their limited resources in terms of energy, memory and computing power, sensors are particularly vulnerable to security threats. They do not have the capacity to implement robust security protocols or to apply traditional cryptography-based security measures often used in traditional internet networks. What's more, some of these traditional solutions are ineffective against insider attacks, a very common type of threat in wireless sensor networks. These challenges underline the importance of developing appropriate security mechanisms capable of guaranteeing both the reliability and durability of IoT sensor networks over the long term.

Our work therefore focuses on the design of defence mechanisms against energy attacks targeting connected objects in general and sensors in particular, in the context of wireless networks. Energy attacks, also known as energy drain attacks, are cyber attacks specifically aimed at the energy consumption of network nodes. The main aim of these attacks is to drain sensor batteries by exploiting their limited energy resources. Several methods can be used to achieve this, including forcing sensors to perform particularly energy-intensive tasks, such as repeatedly receiving or transmitting unnecessary data, or keeping them in energy-intensive operating states. Another common method is to prevent sensors from entering sleep mode, a crucial state for preserving their autonomy and longevity. These attacks can have serious consequences, including the interruption of communications between nodes, the loss of sensitive data, and even the total failure of nodes that are essential to the proper functioning of the network, thereby compromising the integrity and overall efficiency of the system. The main objective of our work is to model the conflicting interactions between the defensive elements of an IoT network, such as wireless sensor networks, and the attackers who seek to disrupt or destroy these systems, using game theory as the main tool. Game theory is a powerful mathematical approach for modelling interactions between several intelligent and rational agents.

By applying it to our problem, we can analyse and anticipate the strategic behaviour of the players involved in these conflicts. This tool provides a formal representation of the decision-making process of each party in a given system, taking into account their objectives, resources and the constraints to which they are subject. By applying game theory to these conflict scenarios, we can assess the different strategies adopted by the attackers.

Keywords : Cyber deception, Game theory, Energy attacks, Bayesian game, Signalling game, Wireless networks