MT2M: Strategic Cost-based Optimization of Cyber Defense in Variable Constraints Systems

MT2M: Strategic Cost-based Optimization of Cyber Defense in Variable Constraints Systems | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article MT2M: Strategic Cost-based Optimization of Cyber Defense in Variable Constraints Systems Jamil Ahmad Kassem, Helena Rifà~Pous, Joaquin Garcia-Alfaro This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443239/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 7 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract When confronted with advanced cyber threats, traditional cybersecurity methods often struggle with system performance and cost-effectiveness. Current approaches using game theory for passive applications, such as Moving Target Defense (MTD), lack flexibility in adapting to varying resource criticalities and rely on rigid cost assumptions that overlook the interdependencies among system components. Additionally, these approaches are complex and grow exponentially more complex with the network. This paper presents the \ac{model}, a strategic \ac{mtd} framework based on Bayesian Stackelberg game theory to optimize cyber defense costs. Optimization is done while considering both resource criticality and node capacity. By transforming a complex, NP-hard cost problem into a linear one, \ac{model} enables scalable deployment. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves comparable security to traditional methods while reducing defense costs by up to $15%$. This research establishes a framework that can be later expanded to include a more variable and complex network configuration. Cybersecurity Moving Target Defense Cyber Defense Game Theory Logic Model Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 27 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 27 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Feb, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 27 Feb, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 27 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 26 Dec, 2025 First submitted to journal 24 Dec, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8443239","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":598098602,"identity":"0f0e2277-0fc6-41c3-a460-08971a862905","order_by":0,"name":"Jamil Ahmad Kassem","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA4klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACxgYeIMmWAOF9gFAGxGthnEGMFgYGJC3MPMRoYW4/e3TDj7I0efn+w0c327bZyDOwN2+TwOuwnry0mz3ncgw33EhLu53blmbYwHOsDL+WhhyzG7xtFYwbJHjMgFoOJzBI5Jjh19L/xuzm37YK+/n957/dtgRpkX9DQMuMHLPbvG05iQ0HcthuM4Jt4SGk5Y3ZbZlzaclAv5gBPZVm2MaTVmyBT4thf47ZzTdlybbz+w8/u/GjzEaen/3wxht4tTSgi7DhUw4C8oQUjIJRMApGwShgAAByGEzxzQgFigAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Open University of Catalonia","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jamil","middleName":"Ahmad","lastName":"Kassem","suffix":""},{"id":598098603,"identity":"3c3d00dc-f8e2-4b99-bc28-f84e7a542e18","order_by":1,"name":"Helena Rifà~Pous","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Open University of Catalonia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Helena","middleName":"","lastName":"Rifà~Pous","suffix":""},{"id":598098604,"identity":"7ef05c67-4a36-4a58-a329-a93d08f916b9","order_by":2,"name":"Joaquin Garcia-Alfaro","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Institut Polytechnique de Paris","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Joaquin","middleName":"","lastName":"Garcia-Alfaro","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-12-24 13:53:29","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443239/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443239/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":104401182,"identity":"c79066d9-c676-4efd-ab09-03a8fcd45d46","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-11 12:12:03","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1217645,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"StrategicCostbasedOptimizationofCyberDefenseinVariableConstraintsSystemsExtension.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8443239/v1_covered_8f75f4ca-a2e7-45db-90b4-52908ca16e5b.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"MT2M: Strategic Cost-based Optimization of Cyber Defense in Variable Constraints Systems","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"journal-of-network-and-systems-management","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"jons","sideBox":"Learn more about [Journal of Network and Systems Management](http://link.springer.com/journal/10922)","snPcode":"10922","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10922/3","title":"Journal of Network and Systems Management","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Cybersecurity, Moving Target Defense, Cyber Defense, Game Theory, Logic Model","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443239/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8443239/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"When confronted with advanced cyber threats, traditional cybersecurity methods often struggle with system performance and cost-effectiveness. 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