A Transformer-based network intrusion detection approach for cloud security

Abstract The distributed architecture of cloud computing necessitates robust defense mechanisms to secure network-accessible resources against a diverse and dynamic threat landscape. A Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) is pivotal in this context, with its efficacy in cloud environments hinging on its adaptability to evolving threat vectors while mitigating false positives. In this paper, we present a novel NIDS algorithm, anchored in the Transformer model and finely tailored for cloud environments. Our algorithm melds the fundamental aspects of network intrusion detection with the sophisticated attention mechanism inherent to the Transformer model, facilitating a more insightful examination of the relationships between input features and diverse intrusion types, thereby bolstering detection accuracy. We provide a detailed design of our approach and have conducted a thorough comparative evaluation. Our experimental results demonstrate that the accuracy of our model is over 93%, which is comparable to that of the CNN-LSTM model, underscoring the effectiveness and viability of our Transformer-based intrusion detection algorithm in bolstering cloud security.