Malware Propagation Modelling in Peer-to-Peer Networks: A Review

Abstract

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network is increasingly becoming the most important means of trading content throughout the last years due to the constant evolvement of the cyber world. This popularity made the P2P network susceptible to the spread of malware. The detection of the cause of malware propagation is now critical to the survival of P2P networks. This paper offers a review of the current relevant mathematical propagation models that have been proposed to date to predict the propagation behavior of a malware in a P2P network. We analyzed the models proposed by researchers and experts in the field by evaluating their limitations and a possible alternative for improving the analysis of the expected behavior of a malware spread.