A Review on Issues and Counter Measures Pertaining Security in Mobile Adhoc Wireless Networks

Abstract

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) are one of the fastest growing areas of research. They are an attractive technology for many applications, such as rescue and tactical operations, due to the flexibility provided by their dynamic infrastructure. However, this flexibility comes at a price and introduces new security threats. Furthermore, many conventional security solutions used for wired networks are ineffective and inefficient for the highly dynamic and resource-constrained environments where MANET use might be expected. To develop suitable security solutions for such new environments, we must first understand how MANETs can be attacked. This chapter provides a comprehensive survey of attacks against a specific type of target, namely the routing protocols used by MANETs. We introduce the security issues specific to MANETs and present a detailed classification of the attacks/attackers against these complex distributed systems. Then we discuss the security criteria of the mobile ad hoc network and present the main attack types that exist in it. Finally we survey the current security solutions for the mobile ad hoc network.