An Attack and Defense Game Model with Constrained Strategies Based on Difficulty Levels

Recently, there has been a growing research interest in the field of infrastructure protection regarding the integration of complex networks and game theory. However, most studies have overlooked the varying difficulty levels when choosing different strategies, which does not align with scenarios in reality. Therefore, we propose a novel approach to analyze the interactions between attackers and defenders in infrastructure protection by imposing constraints on their strategies. Initially, we evaluate the difficulties of implementing strategies by considering the node degree in the network. Subsequently, we define three types of strategies: difficult strategies, moderate strategies, and easy strategies. Then we impose practical constraints on different types of strategies. Finally, we present a solution based on the strategy constraints and conduct experiments on a target network. The results highlight the unique characteristics displayed by decision-makers when establishing various constraints, as these constraints influence decision-makers selecting diverse strategies. By introducing strategy constraints into the defense and attack game model, we provide a realistic game perspective and offer new insights for studying the protection of infrastructure networks.