An Analytical Model Modifications and Adaptations for Malware Spread and Containment in Communication Networks

Abstract

Due to the escalating wave of malware in communication networks, continuous/discrete differential equations have been used in traditional analytical models to better understand the patterns of malware spread. Networks for local area networks, networks for metropolitan areas, and broad area networks were all utilized in this study. In particular, we developed the vulnerable-latent-contagious-recovery-inoculation (VLCR-I) model as well as built its computational equivalents in MathLab simulator. From the mathematical results, the VLCR-I model predicted increases in the latent (L), contagious (C), and inoculated (I) compartments and a decrease in the vulnerable (V) compartment. With the initial set of data, where V nodes are 100 and L is 2, this is accurate. A decrease in the aforementioned compartments was observed when the V and L nodes were increased to 1050 and 2500, respectively. At V = 100 and L = 2, there were increases in the L, C, I, and R compartments for the second set of data. There was a decrease in these nodes due to the addition of 1050 V, 2500 L, and 25 L nodes.