Nonstandard finite difference schemes for solving a modified epidemiological model for computer viruses

Abstract

In this paper we construct two families of nonstandard finite difference (NSFD) sche-mes preserving the essential properties of a computer virus propagation model, such as positivity, boundedness and stability. The first family of NSFD schemes is constructed based on the nonlocal discretization and has first order of accuracy, while the second one is based on the combination of a classical Runge-Kutta method and selection of a nonstandard denominator function and it is of fourth order of accuracy. The theoretical study of these families of NSFD schemes is performed with support of numerical simulations. The numerical simulations confirm the accuracy and the efficiency of the fourth order NSFD schemes. They hint that the disease-free equilibrium point is not only locally stable but also globally stable, and then this fact is proved theoretically. The experimental results also show that the global stability of the continuous model is preserved.