The effect of network topology on the spread of computer viruses: a modelling study

ABSTRACT

This paper is intended to investigate the effect of network topology on the spread of computer viruses in the presence of removable storage media. For that purpose, a novel network-based computer virus spreading model is proposed. Both theoretically and experimentally, it is shown that, under proper conditions, viruses on a scale-free network would tend to extinction. Experimental results show that either smaller maximum node degree or larger power-law exponent is conducive to the containment of virus spreading. To our knowledge, this is the first time the effect of network topology on virus spreading is investigated in this context.

KEYWORDS:

• Computer virus spreading model
• scale-free network
• power-law degree distribution
• power-law exponent
• removable storage media
• virus-free equilibrium
• global asymptoticst ability

2000 AMS SUBJECT CLASSIFICATIONS:

• 34D20
• 34D23
• 68M99

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express sincere gratitude to the two anonymous referees and the editor for their valuable comments and suggestions that have greatly improved the quality of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant Nos. 61572006, 61379158, 71301177], Science and Technology Support Program of China [Grant No. 2014BAH25F01], and Basic and Advanced Research Program of Chongqing [Grant Nos. cstc2013jcyjA1658, cstc2014jcyjA40054].