Seeking Best-Balanced Patch-Injecting Strategies through Optimal Control Approach

Abstract EN

To restrain escalating computer viruses, new virus patches must be constantly injected into networks.

In this scenario, the patch-developing cost should be balanced against the negative impact of virus.

This article focuses on seeking best-balanced patch-injecting strategies.

First, based on a novel virus-patch interactive model, the original problem is reduced to an optimal control problem, in which (a) each admissible control stands for a feasible patch-injecting strategy and (b) the objective functional measures the balance of a feasible patch-injecting strategy.

Second, the solvability of the optimal control problem is proved, and the optimality system for solving the problem is derived.

Next, a few best-balanced patch-injecting strategies are presented by solving the corresponding optimality systems.

Finally, the effects of some factors on the best balance of a patch-injecting strategy are examined.

Our results will be helpful in defending against virus attacks in a cost-effective way.