Leveraging Large Language Models to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses Against Sophisticated Cyber Threats

In our hyper-connected world, cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated by the day, making it increasingly difficult for traditional security methods to keep up. This thesis delves into the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs)—such as BERT and GPT—to transform the way we defend against thes...

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Main Author: Khaddaj, Naji (author)
Format: masterThesis
Published: 2024
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10725/16529
https://doi.org/10.26756/th.2023.749
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/thesis.php
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author Khaddaj, Naji
author_facet Khaddaj, Naji
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Khaddaj, Naji
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2024
2024-12-12
2025-02-07T14:27:23Z
2025-02-07T14:27:23Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10725/16529
https://doi.org/10.26756/th.2023.749
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/thesis.php
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Lebanese American University
dc.rights.*.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Leveraging Large Language Models to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses Against Sophisticated Cyber Threats
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Thesis
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
info:eu-repo/semantics/masterThesis
description In our hyper-connected world, cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated by the day, making it increasingly difficult for traditional security methods to keep up. This thesis delves into the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs)—such as BERT and GPT—to transform the way we defend against these evolving threats. LLMs are not just capable of identifying threats; they also enable real-time incident responses, giving organizations the power to stop attacks like ransomware, DDoS, phishing, and SQL injection before they can cause serious damage. Our study leverages well-known datasets like UNSW-NB15, CICFlowMeter, and custom cyber-operations data to train these advanced models. Through extensive testing and evaluation using metrics such as accuracy and adaptability, we found that LLMs consistently outperform traditional detection methods. What sets this research apart is the integration of real-time response mechanisms, allowing the system to react instantly to potential threats—whether it’s isolating a compromised system or blocking malicious traffic—making cybersecurity defenses more proactive and adaptive. This work demonstrates that LLMs offer a powerful and scalable solution for today’s cybersecurity challenges, helping organizations stay one step ahead of attackers. As cyber threats continue to evolve, the ability of these models to learn, adapt, and respond dynamically positions them as essential tools in modern cybersecurity strategies.
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network_acronym_str LAURepo
network_name_str Lebanese American University repository
oai_identifier_str oai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/16529
publishDate 2024
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Lebanese American University
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spelling Leveraging Large Language Models to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses Against Sophisticated Cyber ThreatsKhaddaj, NajiIn our hyper-connected world, cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated by the day, making it increasingly difficult for traditional security methods to keep up. This thesis delves into the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs)—such as BERT and GPT—to transform the way we defend against these evolving threats. LLMs are not just capable of identifying threats; they also enable real-time incident responses, giving organizations the power to stop attacks like ransomware, DDoS, phishing, and SQL injection before they can cause serious damage. Our study leverages well-known datasets like UNSW-NB15, CICFlowMeter, and custom cyber-operations data to train these advanced models. Through extensive testing and evaluation using metrics such as accuracy and adaptability, we found that LLMs consistently outperform traditional detection methods. What sets this research apart is the integration of real-time response mechanisms, allowing the system to react instantly to potential threats—whether it’s isolating a compromised system or blocking malicious traffic—making cybersecurity defenses more proactive and adaptive. This work demonstrates that LLMs offer a powerful and scalable solution for today’s cybersecurity challenges, helping organizations stay one step ahead of attackers. As cyber threats continue to evolve, the ability of these models to learn, adapt, and respond dynamically positions them as essential tools in modern cybersecurity strategies.Lebanese American University2025-02-07T14:27:23Z2025-02-07T14:27:23Z20242024-12-12Thesisinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/masterThesishttp://hdl.handle.net/10725/16529https://doi.org/10.26756/th.2023.749http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/thesis.phpeninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/165292025-02-25T08:15:43Z
spellingShingle Leveraging Large Language Models to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses Against Sophisticated Cyber Threats
Khaddaj, Naji
status_str publishedVersion
title Leveraging Large Language Models to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses Against Sophisticated Cyber Threats
title_full Leveraging Large Language Models to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses Against Sophisticated Cyber Threats
title_fullStr Leveraging Large Language Models to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses Against Sophisticated Cyber Threats
title_full_unstemmed Leveraging Large Language Models to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses Against Sophisticated Cyber Threats
title_short Leveraging Large Language Models to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses Against Sophisticated Cyber Threats
title_sort Leveraging Large Language Models to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses Against Sophisticated Cyber Threats
url http://hdl.handle.net/10725/16529
https://doi.org/10.26756/th.2023.749
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/thesis.php