  The evolution of communication technology and the proliferation of electronic
devices have rendered adversaries powerful means for targeted attacks via all
sorts of accessible resources. In particular, owing to the intrinsic
interdependency and ubiquitous connectivity of modern communication systems,
adversaries can devise malware that propagates through intermediate hosts to
approach the target, which we refer to as transmissive attacks. Inspired by
biology, the transmission pattern of such an attack in the digital space much
resembles the spread of an epidemic in real life. This paper elaborates
transmissive attacks, summarizes the utility of epidemic models in
communication systems, and draws connections between transmissive attacks and
epidemic models. Simulations, experiments, and ongoing research challenges on
transmissive attacks are also addressed.
