Lab Overview

Adversarial Intelligence is the thinking underlying adversarial behavior. Adversarial behavior arises in repeated competitions between attackers and defenders. In these competitions adversaries have conflicting objectives – one side typically wants something the other side has or seeks to harm, disrupt, or steal from the other. These competitions arise from scarce resources that both sides want or from historical circumstances, and even emotional animosity. Adversarial behavior abounds. It is evident in cyber systems where threat actors ranging from script-kiddies, mercenaries, and nation states attack networks and devices for profit and/or power. It is manifest in taxation systems where regulations and tax abuse collie. It occurs in information networks where disinformation clashes with moderation and truth verification means. And, you engage in it when you try to keep squirrels away from your bird feeder!

In all cases, conflicting objectives drive adversaries to clash (or more formally “engage”) using different repertoires of behavior (called asymmetric action spaces), each side trying to outwit the other. Adversarial behavior recruits planning, learning, technical skills, expert knowledge, novelty, discovery, open-ended thinking, and other facets of intelligence related to asymmetric competition. ALFA’s goal is to computationally replicate Adversarial Intelligence. We work in the domains of regulatory compliance, information security, and cyber security. We are optimistic our efforts will reveal new insights into the nature of Adversarial Intelligence and Adversarial Behavior, including questions like: How can it be used to strengthen defenses? How can it be used to anticipate what an adversary may do? How and why does it continue or cease? How does it lead to escalation?

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