Mathematical Modelling of Malware Intrusion in Computer Networks

Abstract Malware attacks cause great harms in the contemporary information systems and that requires analysis of computer networks reaction in case of malware impact. The focus of the present study is on the analysis of the computer network’s states and reactions in case of malware attacks defined by the susceptibility, exposition, infection and recoverability of computer nodes. Two scenarios are considered – equilibrium without secure software and not equilibrium with secure software in the computer network. The behavior of the computer network under a malware attack is described by a system of nonhomogeneous differential equations. The system of the nonhomogeneous differential equations is solved, and analytical expressions are derived to analyze network characteristics in case of susceptibility, exposition, infection and recoverability of computer nodes during malware attack. The analytical expressions derived are illustrated with results of numerical experiments. The conception developed in this work can be applied to control, prevent and protect computer networks from malware intrusions.