John von Neumann with the IAS machine, sometimes called the “von Neumann Machine”, stored in the the basement of Fuld Hall from 1942–1951 (Photo: Alan Richards)

Now, back to our main topic. AMTD is a cybersecurity strategy that seeks to make it harder for attackers to penetrate a network by constantly changing the system's attack surface. This can be done by modifying software configurations, altering the network topology, or even changing the location of critical assets. 

So, how does John von Neumann's minimax theorem fit into all of this? Well, the minimax theorem suggests that in a two-player zero-sum game, each player should choose the strategy that minimizes the maximum possible loss. In the context of cyber security, the attackers and defenders can be seen as players in a zero-sum game. The attackers are trying to exploit vulnerabilities in the system, while the defenders are trying to prevent them from doing so. 

The minimax theorem tells us that the defenders should choose an MTD strategy that minimizes the maximum possible loss. By constantly changing the system's attack surface, the defenders make it more difficult for attackers to find and exploit vulnerabilities. This means that even if an attacker manages to breach the system, they will only have access to a limited amount of information before the attack surface changes again. 

John von Neumann's game theories have a significant impact on the development of cybersecurity strategies such as MTD. By applying the minimax theorem, defenders can implement effective MTD strategies that minimize the maximum possible loss and make it more difficult for attackers to penetrate the system. And who knows, maybe one day we'll be able to develop an MTD strategy that's as foolproof as von Neumann's game theories.