An economic mechanism for better Internet security

Our paper proposes a certification mechanism to align the incentives for Service Providers (SPs) to safeguard the Internet and protect their customers. The proposed mechanism certifies the capable SPs who are willing to be financially accountable for damage caused by malicious traffic from their networks. Such a certification program provides a channel for certified SPs to signal their commitments to secure network communication to their customers and other certified SPs. We evaluate the efficiency of the mechanism using a game-theoretic model. Our study provides an economic foundation and managerial guidance for improving Internet security.