Adaptive Cyber Defense System

Abstract

The increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats demand advanced systems capable of real-time response and proactive defense. The Adaptive Cyber Defense System (ACDS) is developed as a dynamic solution to ensure continuous monitoring, intelligent threat detection, and automated firewall enforcement. ACDS leverages Python-based tools such as Scapy, Nmap, and Psutil for packet analysis and network scanning. It detects unauthorized IPs, spoofed addresses, and anomalous traffic and responds by blocking threats using Windows Firewall. The system is equipped with a Tkinter-based GUI and Flask dashboard for intuitive visualization and control. Real-time alerts via email and detailed log maintenance enhance administrative awareness and post-event auditing. Designed to operate 24/7 with automation and self-recovery capabilities, ACDS significantly improves cybersecurity posture in both enterprise and individual environments.

Introduction

The Adaptive Cyber Defense System (ACDS) is an automated, real-time cybersecurity solution designed to address evolving threats such as unauthorized access, IP spoofing, phishing, and malware. Unlike traditional manual or reactive systems, ACDS integrates automated scanning, spoof detection, and active IP blocking using tools like Scapy, Nmap, and Netsh (Windows Firewall).

It features a Tkinter-based GUI and a Flask dashboard for centralized monitoring and control. Core functionalities include MAC address verification, per-IP website blocking, email/SMS alerting, and detailed logging for audit purposes.

Key Features:

• Automated Threat Detection & Mitigation
  Real-time packet sniffing, port scanning, and firewall rule execution to block malicious IPs and spoofed devices.

• User Interfaces

  • Offline GUI (Tkinter)

  • Web dashboard (Flask + Socket.IO) for dynamic monitoring and device control

• Alert & Logging System
  Immediate alerts via email (SMTP integration) and robust log management with support for export in JSON/CSV.

• Device & Network Management
  Tracks and manages IPs, MAC addresses, and trust statuses; detects unauthorized or spoofed devices.

Technologies Used:

• Languages/Frameworks: Python, Flask, Tkinter, HTML/CSS

• Tools/Libraries: Scapy, Nmap, Psutil, Socket.IO, SMTP (SendGrid)

• Databases: SQLite/MongoDB

• Others: Windows Firewall (Netsh), Windows Task Scheduler, GitHub

Performance & Evaluation:

Tests on a local subnet showed:

• 95%+ accuracy in detecting unauthorized devices and spoofing

• Fast, real-time alerts and blocking

• Low resource usage

• Effective per-IP website restrictions

• Reliable logging and audit capabilities

Conclusion

The Adaptive Cyber Defense System provides a highly effective and automated solution for modern cybersecurity challenges. Its ability to monitor networks, detect spoofing, send real-time alerts, and block malicious activity without manual input makes it a robust tool for any organization. With a modular and scalable design, ACDS adapts to both small and enterprise-level environments. The system\'s integration with email notifications, GUI controls, and firewall automation sets it apart from traditional defense systems.

References

[1] Ahmed and A. Dehghantanha. (2019). Detecting IP spoofing attacks using machine learning and statistical analysis. Journal of Information Security and Applications, 46, 1–11. [2] Scapy Documentation. (2024). Scapy: Packet crafting and sniffing. https://scapy.readthedocs.io [3] Python Software Foundation. (2024). Python Tkinter GUI Programming. https://docs.python.org/3/library/tkinter.html [4] Microsoft Docs. (2024). Netsh commands for Windows Firewall. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/networking/technologies/netsh/netsh-firewall [5] S. Chhabra, B. Rathi. (2022). Design and implementation of firewall-based rule engine for adaptive network security. In Proceedings of the 2022 International Conference on Cybersecurity. [6] Tanweer, R. Srinivasan. (2021). Real-time spoof detection using ARP and MAC verification. International Journal of Computer Networks & Communications, 13(4), 45–53. [7] S. Almotiri, S. Khan. (2022). Threat intelligence driven adaptive cyber defense systems: A review. Computers & Security, 112, 102519.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Kruthika R, Sharmi K R, Murugesh Pandian P. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.