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© 2016 IBM Corporation
Security according to Leafcutter AntsCollaboration strategy based on 120 million years of warfare experience
Mike Chung | Associate Partner IBM Security
May 2016
2© 2016 IBM Corporation
Items
§ Why ants?
– 120 million years of warfare and survival
§ How do ants deal with security?
– Defense collaboration in practice
§ What can we learn?
– Applying the defense mechanism of ants on threat intelligence
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Why ants?
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Ants in everyday life
§ Common ant: Lasius niger – dairy farming
§ Yellow Meadow ant: Lasius flavus – underground farming
§ Red wood ant: Formica rufa – ingenious ventilated nests
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Ants in everyday life
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Origins
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Origins
§ From Cretaceous, 120 million years ago - Sphecomyrma
§ Same ancestor as wasps
§ Semi-communal, more complex societies during the course of evolution
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Classification
Hymenoptera
Formicidae
Wasps
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Classification
Hymenoptera
Formicidae Atta and Acromyrmex
Wasps Other 8 genera
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Classification
§ Order of Hymenoptera
§ Family of Formicidae
§ 15,000 species known
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Eusociology
§ Cooperation in raising juveniles (larvae)
§ At least two generations in one colony
§ Coexistence of reproductive and non-reproductive members
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Eusociology
Larvae
Colony
Adults
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Eusociology
Larvae
Colony
Adult generation 1 Adult generation 2
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Eusociology
Larvae
Colony
Adult generation 1 Adult generation 2
Reproductive members
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Complexity
§ Number of “individuals” – up to 200 million (Formica yessensis) with 45,000 interconnected nests
§ Maximum usage of brain capacity
§ Complex social and networking structures
§ Complex communication protocols
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Share of eusocial insects
Total number of animal species (2 million)
Number of insect species (1 million)
Eusocial insect species (0.02 million)
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Share of eusocial insects
Total bio-mass of animals
Eusocial insects' bio-mass (30%)
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Queens
§ Monogynous: one queen
§ Polygynous: many queens
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Taking a closer look at: Leafcutter ants
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Leafcutter ants
§ About 50 species; two genera, Atta and Acromyrmex
§ Central and South America
§ Cutting and processing fresh leaves
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Leafcutter ants
§ According to Myrmecologists, leafcutter ants form the most complex animal societies
§ Nests air-conditioned:
– Right temperature
– Right level of humidity
– Right level of ventilation
§ Castes of reproductives (queen(s)) and non-reproductives (workers, males)
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Roles
§ Queen
§ Workers
§ Males
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Roles
Non-reproductives
Reproductives
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Roles
Non-reproductives
ReproductivesQueen MalesReproductive
females
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Roles
Non-reproductives
ReproductivesQueen MalesReproductive
females
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Roles
Non-reproductives
ReproductivesQueen MalesReproductive
females
Majors
Minors
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Roles
Non-reproductives
ReproductivesQueen MalesReproductive
females
Majors
Minors
Soldiers Foragers
Assemblers CarersHitchhikers Gardeners
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Roles
Non-reproductives
ReproductivesQueen MalesReproductive
females
Majors
Minors
Soldiers Foragers
Assemblers CarersHitchhikers Gardeners
Age
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Roles: defense
Non-reproductives
ReproductivesQueen MalesReproductive
females
Majors
Minors
Predators
Competitors
Parasitic flies Parasitic fungi
Crop diseasesInfections
Environmental threats
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Threat landscapeEnvironmental threats:
- Flooding- Drought
Enemies:
- Predators- Competitors
Pests:
- Parasitic flies- Parasitic fungi
Diseases:
- Crop diseases- Infections
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Roles
§ Age polyethism
§ Physical polyethism
§ Combination of the above
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Flexibility of roles
§ Young workers:
– Inside the colony
– Easy tasks
§ Older, experienced workers:
– Outside the colony
– Complex tasks
– Defense
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Flexibility of roles
§ Small workers:
– Delicate tasks
– Defense against parasites (inside as well as on leaves to attack parasitic flies)
§ Large workers:
– Physically intensive tasks; cutting and carrying leaves
– Defense
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Complexity of environment vs. flexibility of roles
Static roles Dynamic roles
Low complexity, e.g. desert
High complexity, e.g.
rain forest
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Defense strategy
§ Sanitation – keeping the nest clean
– Dead ants triggers scent signal to have them removed
§ Careful selection of nest location
– Looking for signs of early attempts
§ Flexibility
– Every member monitors for dangers
– Every member contributes to defense
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Crown juwel(s)
§ Only one queen – single point/specimen of failure
§ Every year, a new offspring of reproductive females and males
§ Survival of genes
§ Improvement of gene pool – most colonies conduct their nuptial flights during the same period and same time of the day
§ More chance of outbreeding
§ Females (queens) carrying spermatheca of 3 to 8 males (polyandry)
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Polyandry
§ Females (queens) carrying spermatheca of 3 to 8 males (polyandry)
§ Better resistance to diseases
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Identity management
§ Authentication based on nest-specific pheromones
§ Pheromones:
– Authentication
– Communication
§ Poison excretion: danger!
§ Ultrasonic sound: help!
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Alternative plans
§ Alternative nests
§ Alternative food sources – plant sap
§ Alternative defense mechanisms
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Collaboration
Threat(s) Information gathering
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Collaboration
Threat(s) Information gathering Immediate alert Massive response
Grave danger
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Collaboration
Threat(s) Information gathering Immediate alert Massive response
AlertCorrelation
Grave danger
Local danger
Response
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Collaboration
Threat(s) Information gathering Immediate alert Massive response
Alert
Collective storage of events
Correlation
Grave danger
Local danger
False alarm
Response
Sharing of information
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Communication: information sharing
Potential threat
Colony/group of ants
Ant 1
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Communication: information sharing
Potential threat
Colony/group of ants
Pheromone mark
Ant 1
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Pheromone mark
Communication: information sharing
Potential threat
Colony/group of ants
Ant 1
Ant 2, 3
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Communication: information sharing
Potential threat
Colony/group of ants
Ant 1
Ant 2, 3
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Communication: information sharing
Potential threat
Colony/group of ants
Ant 1
Many ants
Ant 2, 3
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Continuity alternatives
Threat(s) Plan A: Fight back Continuation of colony
Plan C: Disperse (only when reproductive females present)
B1: Join
Survival of genes
Plan B: Move to family nest B2: Usurp
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Threat landscapeEnvironmental threats:
- Flooding- Drought
Enemies:
- Predators- Competing ants
Pests:
- Parasitic flies- Parasitic fungi
Diseases:
- Crop diseases- Infections
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MitigationsEnvironmental threats:
• Alternative locations• “Hibernation”
Enemies:
• Nest architecture• Physical defense mechanisms
Pests:
• Polyethism• Ventilation system
Diseases:
• Sanitation• Polyandry (genetic diversity)
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Nest architecture
Nest
Queen’s chamber
Empty chamberLarvae & cocoons chamber
Fungus chamber
Waste chamberFungus
chamber
Alternate chamber
Mounds “Emergency” exit/entrance
Main tunnel
Penduncle
Egg’s chamber
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Nest architecture: defense components
Nest
Queen’s chamber
Empty chamberLarvae & cocoons chamber
Fungus chamber
Waste chamberFungus
chamber
Alternate chamber
Mounds “Emergency” exit/entrance
Main tunnel
Penduncle
Egg’s chamber
Hard surface
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Nest architecture: defense components
Nest
Queen’s chamber
Empty chamberLarvae & cocoons chamber
Fungus chamber
Waste chamberFungus
chamber
Alternate chamber
Mounds “Emergency” exit/entrance
Main tunnel
Penduncle
Egg’s chamber
Hard surface
Multiple exits/entrances
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Nest architecture: defense components
Nest
Queen’s chamber
Empty chamberLarvae & cocoons chamber
Fungus chamber
Waste chamberFungus
chamber
Alternate chamber
Mounds “Emergency” exit/entrance
Main tunnel
Penduncle
Egg’s chamber
Hard surface
Multiple exits/entrances
Escape rooms
Blocks
Blocks
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Colony architecture
Queen and larvae
Young/small workers
Experienced/large workers
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Ant literature
§ Bert Hölldobler & Edward O. Wilson: The Leafcutter Ants, Civilization by Instinct
§ Edward O. Wilson & Bert Hölldobler: The Superorganism, the Beauty, Elegance, and Strangeness of Insect Societies
58© 2016 IBM Corporation
Contact details
Drs. Mike Chung RE CISSP
Associate Partner IBM Security
mchung@nl.ibm.com
+31 6 2565 7593
+82 10 3521 7754