How Machine Learning
Detects Cyber Threats
Before Humans Can
Exploring the powerful intersection of Machine Learning
and Cybersecurity for BCA students.
Why Cybersecurity Needs Machine Learning
Lots of Threats Fast Attacks
Humans can't keep up with millions of new Today's cyberattacks happen and change too
harmful software (malware) every day. quickly for people to react in time.
Clever Attacks Stop Attacks Early
Smarter, hidden attacks (like APTs) are hard ML can predict and find threats even before
to spot because they are complex. they fully appear, helping us act sooner.
The ML Threat Detection Workflow
Data Collection
Gathering logs, network traffic, malware samples, and user behaviour.
Feature Engineering
Extracting relevant attributes for ML models (e.g., file size, API calls).
Model Training
Feeding data to algorithms to learn patterns of normal vs. malicious activity.
Anomaly Detection
Identifying deviations from learned normal behaviour as potential threats.
Alert & Respond
Notifying security analysts and automating protective actions.
Real-World ML Use Cases in Cybersecurity
Spam & Phishing Detection Fraud Detection Advanced Antivirus
Gmail's robust filters use ML to Banks employ ML to monitor transaction Modern antivirus solutions use ML for
analyse email content, headers, and patterns, flagging unusual activity like signature-less detection of
sender reputation to block malicious large international transfers or multiple polymorphic malware, identifying new
emails. failed logins. threats based on behaviour.
Key ML Algorithms for Cybersecurity
Decision Trees Random Forest
Sorts threats by making a series of simple Uses many decision trees together for better
choices, easy to understand. accuracy and stronger results.
K-Means Clustering Neural Networks
Finds groups of similar network data or malware Advanced learning models that can find complex
to spot unusual activity. patterns for new and tricky threats.
Challenges & Limitations of ML in Security
Adversarial ML Data Issues
Attackers can trick ML models to avoid being caught.Not enough varied data can make models
less accurate.
Hard to Explain High Resource Use
It's hard to tell why complex ML models flag Training ML models needs a lot of computer power.
certain threats.
Overcoming Challenges: Next-Gen Defences
Addressing ML limitations through innovative approaches.
Federated Learning
Explainable AI (XAI)
Training models across decentralised datasets
Developing methods to understand ML model without sharing raw data, preserving privacy.
decisions in cybersecurity.
AI-Powered Security Orchestration
Reinforcement Learning
Automating threat response and integrating
Enabling AI agents to learn optimal defensive security tools using intelligent AI.
strategies through trial and error in simulated
environments.
The Future of ML in Cybersecurity
Predictive Analytics: Proactively identifying
vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors.
Automated Response: Moving beyond detection to self-
healing systems.
Human-AI Collaboration: ML augmenting analysts, not
replacing them.
Zero-Trust Architectures: Enhancing continuous
verification with ML-driven insights.
Key Takeaways
ML is Essential Hands-on Learning
It's the only way to combat the scale and Experiment with datasets like CICIDS2017 or
speed of modern cyber threats. UNSW-NB15 to practice ML.
Multidisciplinary Field Continuous Learning
Requires knowledge of programming, Stay updated on new attack vectors and ML
statistics, and network security. advancements in security.
Thank You!
