Byzantine failure detection in wireless ad-hoc networks

Abstract

Wireless multihop networks consist of numbers of wireless nodes. Hence, introduction of failure detection and recovery is mandatory. Until now, various failure detection and recovery methods such as route switch and multiple routes detection have been proposed based on an assumption with stop failure model. However, the assumption that failed wireless nodes never transmit any messages is too restrict the area where the proposed methods can be applied. In order to solve this problem, we propose a novel failure detection and notification method that supports not only stop failure but also Byzantine failure. That is, it is possible for failed wireless nodes to transmit malicious messages not according to the data message transmission and the failure detection and notification protocols unconsciously due to failure or even intentionally. Here, the design of failure detection and notification protocols is critical. In this paper, Byzantine failures in an intermediate node are detected by its multiple neighbor wireless nodes cooperatively since the neighbor wireless nodes are also vulnerable and might transmit erroneous failure notifications. From the performance viewpoint, no additional control messages are required to be transmitted while no failure wireless node is detected, i.e., in usual data message transmissions.