Defending Internet of Things Against Energy Depletion Attack Using Bayesian Game
Ines Carole Kombou Sihomnou, Abderrahim Benslimane, Ahmed H. Anwar, Gabriel Deugoué, Charles Kamhoua · IEEE Internet of Things Journal · 2025
Due to their limited resources, Internet of Things (IoT) networks are vulnerable to attacks like aggressive denial-of-service (DoS) attacks aimed at draining device energy. IoT devices often have non-rechargeable or hard-to-recharge batteries, especially when deployed in hostile areas, making them prime targets for energy depletion attacks such as barrage attacks. To mitigate these threats, security systems must implement lightweight measures. This paper proposes a new game theory-based mechanism to defend IoT devices against energy depletion. Game theory effectively models the adversarial interactions between attackers and defenders. Our approach uses a dynamic game with incomplete information to derive optimal detection, defense, and attack strategies, establishing a Perfect Bayesian Nash Equilibrium (PBNE) to protect IoT device energy under constant attack. This dynamic game involves repeated interactions where at least one player lacks complete information about the other. The proposed model offers a high-performance solution for conserving IoT device energy. Simulation results demonstrate its effectiveness, showing that it can save, on average, 95.19% of the energy expended in receiving packets during an attack and can deter attackers. This approach ensures the sustainability of IoT networks against persistent energy depletion attacks.