The technology will enable an early warning system by providing a reliable way of estimating the potential scale and direction of an epidemic, Kaspersky Lab said.

The patented technology works by analyzing statistical data about threats received from a global monitoring network.

The network tracks malware downloads and attacks, and records information such as time, source and geographical location.

Emerging epidemics can be identified by the number of incidents occurring during a specific period in one location or another. This makes it possible to pinpoint the source of an epidemic and forecast its likely propagation pattern.

Protective measures can then be developed and implemented by countries in the path of the epidemic. This slows the proliferation rate considerably and provides effective damage limitation, according to Nadia Kashchenko, chief intellectual property counsel Kaspersky Lab.

The technology has a number advantages over other similar systems, including the ability to trace the source of the threat, generate protective measure and simulate the spread of an epidemic, she said.

This story was first published by Computer Weekly