Secure and Energy Efficient Routing Approach for Wireless Sensor Networks to Counter Flooding Attack

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Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are used in many applications owing to their scalability and economic efficiency, but their adhoc characteristics makes them vulnerable to security attacks such as RREQ flooding attacks. RREQ flooding attack overload the network with excessive RREQ messages resulting in network congestion and power exhaustion and interruption of standard operations. This paper presents a secure and energy-efficient routing approach that focuses on effectively mitigating the effects of flooding attacks. The proposed approach combines sophisticated algorithms into the Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) routing protocol to detect and isolate malicious nodes by analyzing route request (RREQ) frequency. Nodes demonstrating abnormal behavior are identified and removed from network, significantly minimizing the effects of attacks. An energy-aware clustering technique is also included for improving energy efficiency throughout the network. This approach dynamically identifies cluster heads depending on remaining energy and distance, hence minimizing energy expenditure and extending the network's lifespan. Results from the simulation demonstrate the effectiveness of the suggested method in enhancing packet delivery ratio, decreasing energy consumption, and prolonging network lifespan, thereby attaining an optimal equilibrium between security and efficiency.