  As Internet of Things (IoT) technology grows, so does the threat of malware
infections. A proposed countermeasure, the use of benevolent "white worms" to
combat malicious "black worms", presents unique ethical and practical
challenges. This study examines these issues via network epidemiology models
and simulations, considering the propagation dynamics of both types of worms in
various network topologies. Our findings highlight the critical role of the
rate at which white worms activate themselves, relative to the user's system
update rate, as well as the impact of the network structure on worm
propagation. The results point to the potential of white worms as an effective
countermeasure, while underscoring the ethical and practical complexities
inherent in their deployment.
