Robustness of complex networks considering load and cascading failure under edge-removal attack

This article challenges the conventional wisdom that edges with larger degrees are more important in complex networks. Through simulation analysis on the BA scale-free and WS small-world networks, we investigate edge-removal attack strategies, taking into account edge load and cascading failure. Specific attacks include high load edge-removal attacks (HLEA) and low load edge-removal attacks (LLEA). Our results demonstrate that the importance of edges is closely tied to the load parameter delta. When 0 < delta < 1, attacking edges with smaller degrees leads to greater cascading failures, rendering low-degree edges more important under these conditions. Conversely, when delta > 1, high-degree edges are more critical due to their ability to cause greater cascading failure upon removal. When delta = 1, cascading failure becomes independent of the degree of the removed edge. These findings underscore the need for considering edge loads and specific network conditions when assessing the importance of edges in complex networks.