An Analysis of the Internet Parasite: A Biological Analog in the Digital World

The Internet is rife with malware: worms and viruses are rampant. However, a new form of malware, the Internet parasite, could have an even more devastating effect on host systems worldwide. Like their biological counterparts, Internet parasites evolve through mutation and create new attack vectors, propagating silently through their victims. In this study, we attempt to simulate parasitic behavior by extending our “parasim” simulator to more realistically model parasitic propagation across real-world topologies.