Modeling Worm Propagation over Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks * 2006-01-1581

Internet worms have shown the capability to compromise millions of network hosts in a matter of seconds, thereby precluding human countermeasures. A worm over a vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) can, in addition to the well-known threats, pose a whole new class of traffic-related threats (ranging from congestion to large-scale accidents). To combat these automated adversaries, security patches can be distributed by good worms. An accurate VANET-based worm propagation model is essential to protect from malicious worms and to efficiently utilize good worms for distribution of security patches. This paper derives an approximate closed-form mathematical model of worm propagation over VANETs. Simulation results assert that the proposed model captures the VANET worm propagation dynamics with outstanding accuracy.