Malware Diffusion Models for Modern Complex Networks

Appendix A

Systems of ordinary differential equations

Abstract

This appendix serves the purpose of a brief introduction to ordinary differential equations and systems thereof. A concise and nonexhaustive collection of methods and techniques used to find solutions to several types of differential equations, including first-order scalar equations, second order linear equations, and systems of linear equations, is included. In most cases, the reader is directed to more thorough and complete treatises, while this appendix offers a brief idea of the background material required for better understanding the mathematical models and methodologies employed in the analysis of malware diffusion in computer and communications networks, especially those based ...