Explainable Machine Learning for Cyberattack Identification from Traffic Flows

The increasing automation of traffic management systems has made them prime targets for cyberattacks, disrupting urban mobility and public safety. Traditional network-layer defenses are often inaccessible to transportation agencies, necessitating a machine learning-based approach that relies solely on traffic flow data. In this study, we simulate cyberattacks in a semi-realistic environment, using a virtualized traffic network to analyze disruption patterns. We develop a deep learning-based anomaly detection system, demonstrating that Longest Stop Duration and Total Jam Distance are key indicators of compromised signals. To enhance interpretability, we apply Explainable AI (XAI) techniques, identifying critical decision factors and diagnosing misclassification errors. Our analysis reveals two primary challenges: transitional data inconsistencies, where mislabeled recovery-phase traffic misleads the model, and model limitations, where stealth attacks in low-traffic conditions evade detection. This work enhances AI-driven traffic security, improving both detection accuracy and trustworthiness in smart transportation systems.

Machine Learning for Cyber-Attack Identification from Traffic Flows

This paper presents our simulation of cyber-attacks and detection strategies on the traffic control system in Daytona Beach, FL. using Raspberry Pi virtual machines and the OPNSense firewall, along with traffic dynamics from SUMO and exploitation via the Metasploit framework. We try to answer the research questions: are we able to identify cyber attacks by only analyzing traffic flow patterns. In this research, the cyber attacks are focused particularly when lights are randomly turned all green or red at busy intersections by adversarial attackers. Despite challenges stemming from imbalanced data and overlapping traffic patterns, our best model shows 85\% accuracy when detecting intrusions purely using traffic flow statistics. Key indicators for successful detection included occupancy, jam length, and halting durations.