Online social networks—Paradise of computer viruses

W. Fan and K.H. Yeung

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2011, vol. 390, issue 2, 189-197

Abstract: Online social network services have attracted more and more users in recent years. So the security of social networks becomes a critical problem. In this paper, we propose a virus propagation model based on the application network of Facebook, which is the most popular among these social network service providers. We also study the virus propagation with an email virus model and compare the behaviors of a virus spreading on Facebook with the original email network. It is found that Facebook provides the same chance for a virus spreading while it gives a platform for application developers. And a virus will spread faster in the Facebook network if users of Facebook spend more time on it.

Keywords: Virus propagation; Online social networks; Complex network (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:390:y:2011:i:2:p:189-197

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2010.09.034

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