Title: Discrete stochastic modelling of computer viruses prevalence on a reduced scale-free network

Authors: Mohamed Essouifi; Abdelfattah Achahbar

Addresses: Condensed Matter Physics Team, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tétouan, Morocco ' Condensed Matter Physics Team, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tétouan, Morocco

Abstract: We construct a stochastic version of the deterministic epidemiological model, introduced by Yang and Yang in 2014, to study computer viruses spreading across a network with two degrees. We compare the results expected by these two approaches. To be closer to real situations, where randomness is always present, we use the discrete time Markov chain method to explore the dynamic behaviour of infection and susceptibility densities of nodes in the network. Monte Carlo simulations, in good agreement with the deterministic approach especially when the proportion N1/N2 increases, lead to the conclusion that any attempt to entirely eradicate network viruses would prove unavailing. As a consequence, the only alternative choice is to contain their prevalence by adopting countermeasures. Our stochastic modelling approach is systematic and shows a good skill in predicting the dynamic behaviour of the computer virus propagation.

Keywords: epidemiological model; computer viruses; network with two degrees; discrete time Markov Chain; Monte Carlo simulations; stochastic modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2020.109353

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2020 Vol.63 No.3, pp.257 - 271

Received: 04 Sep 2019
Accepted: 14 Apr 2020

Published online: 03 Sep 2020 *

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