Ensemble Learning-Based Intrusion Detection System for Modbus-Enabled Industrial Networks

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Author(s)

Dadaso T. Mane 1 Vijay H. Kalmani 2,* Sayali Aundhakar 1 Pranita Patil 1 Swati Patil 1 Tejal Yadav 1

1. Department of Information Technology, Kasegaon Education Society’s, Rajarambapu Institute of Technology, Affiliated to Shivaji University, Sakharale, Maharashtra 415415, India

2. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Kasegaon Education Society’s, Rajarambapu Institute of Technology, Affiliated to Shivaji University, Sakharale, Maharashtra 415415, India

* Corresponding author.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5815/ijwmt.2025.06.05

Received: 22 Jan. 2025 / Revised: 1 May 2025 / Accepted: 22 Jun. 2025 / Published: 8 Dec. 2025

Index Terms

Industrial Control Systems (ICS), SCADA, IDS, Machine Learning, Ensemble Learning, SVM, Random Forest, Adaptive boosting, K-Nearest Neighbors, Stacking Classifier

Abstract

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Modbus-enabled networks are facing escalating threats from sophisticated cyber-attacks, while current Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) struggle to identify intricate and adaptive attacks. This study envisions an ensemble learning-based IDS for Modbus-enabled industrial networks using a real-like Modbus 2023 dataset for industrial networks. The proposed IDS combines four base classifiers, namely K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), using the stack ensemble framework, where Logistic Regression acts as the meta-classifier. Preprocessing involved PCAP capture and attack log synchronization, feature normalization, and one-hot encoding for balanced and accurate model training. Experimental evaluation demonstrated that the ensemble model has a 99.78% detection accuracy while outperforming the base individual models in terms of precision, recall, and F1-score. The results indicate the efficiency of ensemble learning for enhanced accuracy detection and false-positive reduction for Modbus networks. Future research will consider real-time testing, feature elimination, and explainable AI for higher operational deployment and scalability. 

Cite This Paper

Dadaso T. Mane, Vijay H. Kalmani, Sayali Aundhakar, Pranita Patil, Swati Patil, Tejal Yadav, "Ensemble Learning-Based Intrusion Detection System for Modbus-Enabled Industrial Networks", International Journal of Wireless and Microwave Technologies(IJWMT), Vol.15, No.6, pp. 54-70, 2025. DOI:10.5815/ijwmt.2025.06.05

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