Ethics in rotten apples: A network epidemiology approach for active cyber defense

TL;DR

This paper explores the use of benevolent 'white worms' to combat malicious malware in IoT networks, analyzing their effectiveness and ethical considerations through network epidemiology models and simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a network epidemiology framework to evaluate the dynamics and ethical implications of deploying white worms for active cyber defense.

Findings

White worm activation rate significantly affects containment success.

Network topology influences worm propagation and control.

White worms can be effective but raise ethical and practical concerns.

Abstract

As Internet of Things (IoT) technology grows, so does the threat of malware infections. A proposed countermeasure, the use of benevolent "white worms" to combat malicious "black worms", presents unique ethical and practical challenges. This study examines these issues via network epidemiology models and simulations, considering the propagation dynamics of both types of worms in various network topologies. Our findings highlight the critical role of the rate at which white worms activate themselves, relative to the user's system update rate, as well as the impact of the network structure on worm propagation. The results point to the potential of white worms as an effective countermeasure, while underscoring the ethical and practical complexities inherent in their deployment.