Modeling computer virus with the BSDE approach

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the connection between computer viruses spreading and epidemiological models. To this end, the block-structured state-dependent event (BSDE) approach is used to study the number of cases of infection in a computer network. The goal of the BSDE approach is the possibility of dealing with non-exponential models with correlated flows, but keeping tractable the dimensionality of the underlying Markov chain. The obtained results are illustrated by numerical experiments which show how the BSDE approach is helpful to strengthen the computer security when it is used in connection with a warning mechanism. An application to the propagation of the CodeRed-II virus is also included.