Research Article

Autonomous Cyber Defense Agents: A Reinforcement Learning Approach to Real-Time Threat Mitigation

by  Abdullahi Abubakar Girei, Felix Abraham, Abiola Olusola Majekodunmi, Jacob Alebiosu
journal cover
International Journal of Computer Applications
Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA
Volume 187 - Issue 46
Published: October 2025
Authors: Abdullahi Abubakar Girei, Felix Abraham, Abiola Olusola Majekodunmi, Jacob Alebiosu
10.5120/ijca2025925775
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Abdullahi Abubakar Girei, Felix Abraham, Abiola Olusola Majekodunmi, Jacob Alebiosu . Autonomous Cyber Defense Agents: A Reinforcement Learning Approach to Real-Time Threat Mitigation. International Journal of Computer Applications. 187, 46 (October 2025), 32-41. DOI=10.5120/ijca2025925775

                        @article{ 10.5120/ijca2025925775,
                        author  = { Abdullahi Abubakar Girei,Felix Abraham,Abiola Olusola Majekodunmi,Jacob Alebiosu },
                        title   = { Autonomous Cyber Defense Agents: A Reinforcement Learning Approach to Real-Time Threat Mitigation },
                        journal = { International Journal of Computer Applications },
                        year    = { 2025 },
                        volume  = { 187 },
                        number  = { 46 },
                        pages   = { 32-41 },
                        doi     = { 10.5120/ijca2025925775 },
                        publisher = { Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA }
                        }
                        %0 Journal Article
                        %D 2025
                        %A Abdullahi Abubakar Girei
                        %A Felix Abraham
                        %A Abiola Olusola Majekodunmi
                        %A Jacob Alebiosu
                        %T Autonomous Cyber Defense Agents: A Reinforcement Learning Approach to Real-Time Threat Mitigation%T 
                        %J International Journal of Computer Applications
                        %V 187
                        %N 46
                        %P 32-41
                        %R 10.5120/ijca2025925775
                        %I Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA
Abstract

The exponential growth of cyber threats in the digital landscape necessitates the development of autonomous defense mechanisms capable of real-time threat detection and mitigation. This research presents a comprehensive examination of autonomous cyber defense agents utilizing reinforcement learning (RL) methodologies to address the dynamic nature of modern cyber threats. Through extensive analysis of current literature and empirical studies, this work demonstrates how RL-based agents can adapt to evolving attack patterns, make autonomous decisions, and provide scalable defense solutions for complex network infrastructures. The findings indicate that multi-agent reinforcement learning frameworks show significant promise in enhancing cybersecurity posture while reducing human intervention requirements in critical defense scenarios.

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Index Terms
Computer Science
Information Sciences
No index terms available.
Keywords

Autonomous cyber defense reinforcement learning multi-agent systems threat mitigation cybersecurity artificial intelligence

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