Misc,
Epidemic Spreading in Scale-Free Networks
(2000)
Abstract
The Internet, as well as many other networks, has a very complex connectivity recently modeled by the class of scale-free networks. This feature, which appears to be very efficient for a communications network, favors at the same time the spreading of computer viruses. We analyze real data from computer virus infections and find the average lifetime and prevalence of viral strains on the Internet. We define a dynamical model for the spreading of infections on scale-free networks, finding the absence of an epidemic threshold and its associated critical behavior. This new epidemiological framework rationalize data of computer viruses and could help in the understanding of other spreading phenomena on communication and social networks. PACS numbers: 05.70.Ln, 05.50.+q Typeset using REVT E X 1 Many social, biological, and communication systems can be properly described by complex networks whose nodes represent individuals or organizations, and links mimic the interactions amo...
