# Adaptive Security Policy Management in Cloud Environments Using Reinforcement Learning

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.08837 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.08837/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in RL for energy, networks and operations, one of 15 directions in Deep reinforcement learning methods.
- Builds on 2 of its 34 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 13 May 2025.

## Placed in

- Deep reinforcement learning methods / [RL for energy, networks and operations](https://mlsanity.com/deeprl/rl-for-energy-networks-and-operations/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Proximal Policy Optimization Algorithms](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1707.06347/) (2017)
- [Continuous control with deep reinforcement learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1509.02971/) (2015)

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Self-Adaptive Multi-Agent LLM-Based Security Pattern Selection for IoT Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.00741/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The security of cloud environments, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), is complex and dynamic. Static security policies have become inadequate as threats evolve and cloud resources exhibit elasticity [1]. This paper addresses the limitations of static policies by proposing a security policy management framework that uses reinforcement learning (RL) to adapt dynamically. Specifically, we employ deep reinforcement learning algorithms, including deep Q Networks and proximal policy optimization, enabling the learning and continuous adjustment of controls such as firewall rules and Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies. The proposed RL based solution leverages cloud telemetry data (AWS Cloud Trail logs, network traffic data, threat intelligence feeds) to continuously refine security policies, maximizing threat mitigation, and compliance while minimizing resource impact. Experimental results demonstrate that our adaptive RL based framework significantly outperforms static policies, achieving higher intrusion detection rates (92% compared to 82% for static policies) and substantially reducing incident detection and response times by 58%. In addition, it maintains high conformity with security requirements and efficient resource usage. These findings validate the effectiveness of adaptive reinforcement learning approaches in improving cloud security policy management.