A comparative study of different security issues in MANET

Abstract

In a MANET (Mobile Ad-Hoc Network), an intruder can attempt to gain unlawful access to the network to obtain sensitive information. These attacks can occur at various network layers, and different attacks can be carried out. To mitigate the risks of such attacks, several solutions have been proposed. It can be characterized by dynamic topology, meaning that the network is formed by a group of nodes communicating wirelessly and without centralized control. This feature makes MANETs highly vulnerable to attacks, especially when malicious nodes are introduced into the network. These malicious nodes can engage in malicious activity that severely damages the network's performance and credibility. Among the major attacks that can be carried out in a MANET are Sinkhole attacks, Black hole attacks, and Wormhole attacks. Sinkhole attack, a malicious node intercepts a data packet, alters its contents, and then forwards it to its neighbors. This can cause other nodes to send their data packet to the malicious nodes, compromising the safety and privacy of the network. In a BHA, malicious nodes drop the data packet it receives, preventing them from accomplishing their intended destinations. This can result in a DoS attack, where legitimate users cannot access the network. A WHA involves two malicious nodes colluding to drop data packets from the network. They create a virtual tunnel between them, and any data that passes through this tunnel is dropped, making it impossible for legitimate nodes to communicate with each other. All these attacks can cause significant damage to the network, and researchers have proposed various solutions to protect the network from them. These solutions include using IDS, deploying secure routing protocols, and developing secure algorithms for data transmission. By implementing these solutions, it is possible to improve the Safety and trustworthiness of the MANET and prevent malicious nodes from causing harm to the network.