Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)
Date of Award
12-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.
Department
Computer and Information Science
Committee Chair
George Clark, Ph.D.
Abstract
Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2) marks a significant advancement over its predecessor through the transition from a centralized to a decentralized architecture, integrating the Data Distribution Service (DDS) to support real-time, scalable communications. Despite these improvements, inherent vulnerabilities in the ROS 2 communication stack continue to leave these systems exposed to sophisticated network-based attacks. This study leveraged nonlinear phase space analysis (NLPSA) as an intrusion detection system (IDS) to detect man-in-the-middle (MitM) attack anomalies in ROS 2 traffic. Grounded in Takens’ embedding theorem, NLPSA reconstructs the phase space of communication features and compares the resulting structure against a baseline model. The experiment implements a hardware-in-the-loop testbed combining a Gazebo-simulated multi-robot environment with physical computation nodes to reflect realistic traffic conditions. Post-hoc analysis of recorded ROS 2 communications in both the experiment and validation demonstrated NLPSA’s effectiveness in identifying MitM intrusions using ROS 2-specific features without relying on OS or network-level data. Based on these findings, NLPSA is a promising foundation for enhancing cybersecurity in robotics, with directions for future real-world deployment.
Recommended Citation
Locklier, William L., "Nonlinear Phase Space Analysis for Anomaly Detection in ROS 2 Communications: Detecting Man-in-the-Middle Attacks in Simulated Environments" (2025). Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present). 235.
https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/theses_diss/235
Included in
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Commons, Cybersecurity Commons, OS and Networks Commons, Other Computer Sciences Commons, Systems Architecture Commons