Title: Clairvoyant targeted attack on complex networks

Authors: Giovanna Ferraro; Antonio Iovanella

Addresses: Department of Enterprise Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via del Politecnico, 1 – 00133, Rome, Italy ' Department of Enterprise Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via del Politecnico, 1 – 00133, Rome, Italy

Abstract: Complex networks' resilience against attacks represents a crucial issue in terms of network structure integrity. We investigate the effect of removing nodes on the network diameter in the case of a simultaneous targeted attack and sequential targeted attack. The analysis has been implemented on several network instances, taking into account different centrality measures and clustering coefficients values. Empirical networks have also been observed to compare the effects of the two removal schemes. According to classical literature, we assume that the network attacker has a wide-ranging knowledge of the system. It can be defined as clairvoyant since it knows, a priori, of all the characteristics of the problem's instances. This awareness is not always applicable when real networks are characterised by a dynamic environment. Hence, we distinguish between clairvoyant and non-clairvoyant attacks.

Keywords: complex networks; resilience; simultaneous targeted attack; sequential targeted attack.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCEE.2018.088314

International Journal of Computational Economics and Econometrics, 2018 Vol.8 No.1, pp.41 - 62

Received: 01 Apr 2016
Accepted: 16 Sep 2016
Published online: 04 Dec 2017 *

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