Towards a systematic description of the field using bibliometric analysis: malware evolution.

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Cybersecurity
• Information Technology

Background:

• Malware, including Trojans, viruses, and spyware, poses a significant threat to digital devices and networks.
• The increasing sophistication of malware attacks necessitates continuous research into prevention, analysis, and detection methods.
• Mobile device features are directly impacted by the rise in malware threats, driving research focus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a comprehensive knowledge map of Android malware research.
• To analyze trends and productivity in Android malware studies over a decade (2010-2019).
• To identify key research areas, influential authors, institutions, and journals in the field.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of 1278 articles on Android malware.
• Data collection from the Web of Science database for the period 2010-2019.
• Systematic review of publication trends, research areas, and citation impact.

Main Results:

• Asia emerged as the continent with the highest number of publications on malware studies.
• Identified key research areas, influential authors, institutions, and high-cited articles.
• Provided an overview of research productivity, Web of Science categories, and impact journals.

Conclusions:

• The study offers insights into the evolution and landscape of Android malware research.
• Highlights Asia's leading role in malware research publications.
• Discusses current challenges and future research directions in malware detection systems.