r-selection is an ecological strategy that favors producing many offspring, reproducing quickly, and investing less in each individual. In nature, this helps populations spread and survive in unpredictable environments even when many offspring do not make it.
In cyber security, r-selection is useful as an analogy for distributed, disposable, or rapidly replaceable components. Malware authors may use large numbers of short-lived hosts, throwaway accounts, or automated payloads because losing some does not stop the campaign. Defenders use the same logic in reverse through redundancy, segmentation, and elastic infrastructure: if some sensors, nodes, or credentials fail, the system still works. The term matters because it highlights a resilience pattern—design for continuity under loss rather than assuming every part will survive.