NetSecGame (NSG) is a framework for training and evaluating AI agents in network security environments. Developed at the Stratosphere Laboratory at CTU in Prague, NSG provides a fast, highly configurable testbed for both offensive and defensive security operations.
Unlike traditional static datasets or rigid simulations, NetSecGame offers a dynamic playground adopting standard Reinforcement Learning (RL) principles. It is built natively on top of the CYST network simulator to allow for scalable experimentation. It provides a rich GameState representation than standard interfaces, enabling complex and realistic security interactions where:
- Attackers learn to scan networks, discover services, exploit vulnerabilities, and exfiltrate data.
- Defenders learn to monitor traffic, detect anomalies, block malicious actors, and protect critical assets.
- Benign Users learn to simulate routine administrative or end-user behaviors that provide realistic background activity.
It natively includes a stochastic Global Defender (SIEM-like simulation) to provide realistic opposition and noise for attackers, reducing the need for pairs or trained agents to challenge offensive operations.
You can install NetSecGame as an agent development framework via pip:
pip install netsecgameTo install the dependencies necessary for locally running the game server and network simulation engine:
pip install netsecgame[server]NetSecGame separates the game server from the interacting agents, enabling flexible deployment. The easiest way to run the NetSecGame server is via the official Docker image:
docker pull stratosphereips/netsecgame
docker run -d --rm --name nsg-server \
-v $(pwd)/<scenario-configuration>.yaml:/netsecgame/netsecenv_conf.yaml \
-v $(pwd)/logs:/netsecgame/logs \
-p 9000:9000 stratosphereips/netsecgameAlternatively, you can run the server directly on your local machine using the Python module:
python3 -m netsecgame.game.worlds.NetSecGame \
--task_config=./examples/example_task_configuration.yaml \
--game_port=9000A YAML task configuration file is required to start the game. It defines starting positions, goals, rewards, network topology, and other game properties. An example configuration is included in the GitHub repository. For a full reference of all options, see the Configuration Documentation.
It's simple to jump into creating agents. We provide a companion repository, NetSecGameAgents, complete with reference implementations for Random, Tabular, and LLM-based agents.
Here is a quick look at implementing an agent:
from netsecgame import BaseAgent, Action, GameState, Observation, AgentRole
class MyAgent(BaseAgent):
def __init__(self, host, port, role: str):
super().__init__(host, port, role)
def choose_action(self, observation: Observation) -> Action:
# Define logic to interact with observation.state
pass
def main():
agent = MyAgent(host="localhost", port=9000, role=AgentRole.Attacker)
observation = agent.register()
while not observation.end:
action = agent.choose_action(observation)
observation = agent.make_step(action)
agent.terminate_connection()Refer to our official channels and repositories for configuration instructions, architecture documents, and contributing instructions!
- Official Documentation: https://stratosphereips.github.io/NetSecGame/
- GitHub: https://github.com/stratosphereips/NetSecGame
- Docker Hub: https://hub.docker.com/r/stratosphereips/netsecgame
- Stratosphere Laboratory: https://www.stratosphereips.org/