Hybrid LLM-Enhanced Intrusion Detection for Zero-Day Threats in IoT Networks

Abstract: This paper presents a novel approach to intrusion detection by integrating traditional signature-based methods with the contextual understanding capabilities of the GPT-2 LLM. As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, particularly in distributed, heterogeneous, and resource-constrained environments such as those enabled by the Internet of Things (IoT), the need for dynamic and adaptive Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) becomes increasingly urgent. While traditional methods remain effective for detecting known threats, they often fail to recognize new and evolving attack patterns. In contrast, GPT-2 excels at processing unstructured data and identifying complex semantic relationships, making it well-suited to uncovering subtle, zero-day attack vectors. We propose a hybrid IDS framework that merges the robustness of signature-based techniques with the adaptability of GPT-2-driven semantic analysis. Experimental evaluations on a representative intrusion dataset demonstrate that our model enhances detection accuracy by 6.3%, reduces false positives by 9.0%, and maintains near real-time responsiveness. These results affirm the potential of LLM integration to build intelligent, scalable, and resilient cybersecurity defences suited for modern connected environments.