A Hybrid Model Using Bio-Inspired Metaheuristic Algorithms for Network Intrusion Detection System

Network Intrusion Detection System (IDS) aims to maintain computer network security by detecting several forms of attacks and unauthorized uses of applications which often can not be detected by firewalls. The features selection approach plays an important role in constructing effective network IDS. Various bio-inspired metaheuristic algorithms used to reduce features to classify network traffic as abnormal or normal traffic within a shorter duration and showing more accuracy. Therefore, this paper aims to propose a hybrid model for network IDS based on hybridization bio-inspired metaheuristic algorithms to detect the generic attack. The proposed model has two objectives; The first one is to reduce the number of selected features for Network IDS. This objective was met through the hybridization of bio-inspired metaheuristic algorithms with each other in a hybrid model. The algorithms used in this paper are particle swarm optimization (PSO), multi-verse optimizer (MVO), grey wolf optimizer (GWO), moth-flame optimization (MFO), whale optimization algorithm (WOA), firefly algorithm (FFA), and bat algorithm (BAT). The second objective is to detect the generic attack using machine learning classifiers. This objective was met through employing the support vector machine (SVM), C4.5 (J48) decision tree, and random forest (RF) classifiers. UNSW-NB15 dataset used for assessing the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid model. UNSW-NB15 dataset has nine attacks type. The generic attack is the highest among them. Therefore, the proposed model aims to identify generic attacks. My data showed that J48 is the best classifier compared to SVM and RF for the time needed to build the model. In terms of features reduction for the classification, my data show that the MFO-WOA and FFA-GWO models reduce the features to 15 features with close accuracy, sensitivity and F-measure of all features, whereas MVO-BAT model reduces features to 24 features with the same accuracy, sensitivity and F-measure of all features for all classifiers.