Design and analysis of intrusion detection systems for wireless mesh networks

Abstract

Intrusion is any unwanted activity that can disrupt the normal functions of wired or wireless networks. Wireless mesh networking technology has been pivotal in providing an affordable means to deploy a network and allow omnipresent access to users on the Internet. A multitude of emerging public services rely on the widespread, high-speed, and inexpensive connectivity provided by such networks. The absence of a centralized network infrastructure and open shared medium makes WMNs particularly susceptible to malevolent attacks, especially in multihop networks. Hence, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure privacy, security, and resilience when designing such networks. An effective method to detect possible internal and external attack vectors is to use an intrusion detection system. Although many Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) were proposed for Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs), they can only detect intrusions in a particular layer. Because WMNs are vulnerable to multilayer security attacks, a cross-layer IDS are required to detect and respond to such attacks. In this study, we analyzed cross-layer IDS options in WMN environments. The main objective was to understand how such schemes detect security attacks at several OSI layers. The suggested IDS is verified in many scenarios, and the experimental results show its efficiency.