# A Framework for Adversarial Analysis of Decision Support Systems Prior to Deployment

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.21414 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.21414/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in Adversarial robustness and RL in finance, one of 15 directions in Deep reinforcement learning methods.
- Builds on 15 of its 20 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 27 May 2025.

## Placed in

- Deep reinforcement learning methods / [Adversarial robustness and RL in finance](https://mlsanity.com/deeprl/adversarial-robustness-and-rl-in-finance/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 15 of 15)

- [Explaining and Harnessing Adversarial Examples](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1412.6572/) (2014)
- [Playing Atari with Deep Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1312.5602/) (2013)
- [Towards Evaluating the Robustness of Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1608.04644/) (2016)
- [Asynchronous Methods for Deep Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1602.01783/) (2016)
- [OpenAI Gym](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1606.01540/) (2016)
- [Mastering Chess and Shogi by Self-Play with a General Reinforcement Learning Algorithm](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1712.01815/) (2017)
- [Deep Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Driving: A Survey](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2002.00444/) (2020)
- [Learning Complex Dexterous Manipulation with Deep Reinforcement Learning and Demonstrations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1709.10087/) (2017)
- [Adversarial Attacks on Neural Network Policies](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1702.02284/) (2017)
- [Revisiting the Arcade Learning Environment: Evaluation Protocols and Open Problems for General Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1709.06009/) (2017)
- [Vulnerability of Deep Reinforcement Learning to Policy Induction Attacks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1701.04143/) (2017)
- [Closer Look at the Transferability of Adversarial Examples: How They Fool Different Models Differently](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.14337/) (2021)
- [Network Defense is Not a Game](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2104.10262/) (2021)
- [Deep Reinforcement Learning Discovers Internal Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1606.05174/) (2016)
- [Utilizing Explainability Techniques for Reinforcement Learning Model Assurance](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.15838/) (2023)

## Abstract (arXiv)

This paper introduces a comprehensive framework designed to analyze and secure decision-support systems trained with Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), prior to deployment, by providing insights into learned behavior patterns and vulnerabilities discovered through simulation. The introduced framework aids in the development of precisely timed and targeted observation perturbations, enabling researchers to assess adversarial attack outcomes within a strategic decision-making context. We validate our framework, visualize agent behavior, and evaluate adversarial outcomes within the context of a custom-built strategic game, CyberStrike. Utilizing the proposed framework, we introduce a method for systematically discovering and ranking the impact of attacks on various observation indices and time-steps, and we conduct experiments to evaluate the transferability of adversarial attacks across agent architectures and DRL training algorithms. The findings underscore the critical need for robust adversarial defense mechanisms to protect decision-making policies in high-stakes environments.