Multi-Class, Multi-Tier Network Intrusion Detection: A Comprehensive and Reproducible Benchmark

arXiv:2609.36039v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) have dominated Intrusion Detection System (IDS) research in recent years. Unfortunately, many existing studies have produced inflated results and unreliable benchmarks due to critical oversights and mistakes in the ML and DL pipeline, from data collection and labeling to feature engineering and model training and evaluation. CIC-IDS2017 is a standard benchmark for network intrusion detection. Still, many published results on this dataset are difficult to compare due to labeling errors, inconsistent flow extraction, potential leakage, and performance evaluation metrics dominated by benign traffic. In this paper, we present a comprehensive benchmark with corrected PCAP-level labeling and a complete evaluation pipeline with diverse ML models. We evaluate eleven tabular classifiers at three nested levels: binary attack detection, nine-class attack-family attribution, and fifteen-class fine-grained classification. A soft-voting ensemble of Random Forest, XGBoost, and LightGBM obtains the best fine-tier macro-F1 of 0.955, with coarse and binary macro-F1 scores of 0.980 and 0.999, respectively. We further conducted a feature selection study based on an analysis of feature importance. This comprehensive benchmark pipeline is configurable and open-source, enabling new feature extraction and model plugins for new datasets. Future work should use this pipeline as a reference point for richer features, rare-class analysis, and model generalization towards new datasets and attack classes.

Abstract:Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) have dominated Intrusion Detection System (IDS) research in recent years. Unfortunately, many existing studies have produced inflated results and unreliable benchmarks due to critical oversights and mistakes in the ML and DL pipeline, from data collection and labeling to feature engineering and model training and evaluation. CIC-IDS2017 is a standard benchmark for network intrusion detection. Still, many published results on this dataset are difficult to compare due to labeling errors, inconsistent flow extraction, potential leakage, and performance evaluation metrics dominated by benign traffic. In this paper, we present a comprehensive benchmark with corrected PCAP-level labeling and a complete evaluation pipeline with diverse ML models. We evaluate eleven tabular classifiers at three nested levels: binary attack detection, nine-class attack-family attribution, and fifteen-class fine-grained classification. A soft-voting ensemble of Random Forest, XGBoost, and LightGBM obtains the best fine-tier macro-F1 of 0.955, with coarse and binary macro-F1 scores of 0.980 and 0.999, respectively. We further conducted a feature selection study based on an analysis of feature importance. This comprehensive benchmark pipeline is configurable and open-source, enabling new feature extraction and model plugins for new datasets. Future work should use this pipeline as a reference point for richer features, rare-class analysis, and model generalization towards new datasets and attack classes.

Cryptography and Security (cs.CR); Machine Learning (cs.LG)

arXiv:2609.36039 [cs.CR]

(or arXiv:2609.36039v1 [cs.CR] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2609.36039 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)

arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website.

Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them.

Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs.

analiza aiqbench

Multi-Class, Multi-Tier Network Intrusion Detection: A Comprehensive and Reproducible Benchmark

Subiecte conexe