Secure and fair cluster head selection protocol for enhancing security in mobile ad hoc networks

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Network Security

Background:

• Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) face significant challenges in security due to their dynamic and decentralized nature.
• Existing secure routing protocols in MANETs offer insufficient protection against sophisticated malicious attacks.
• Resource limitations and energy efficiency are critical concerns in MANETs, impacting overall network performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel Secure and Fair Cluster Head Selection Protocol (SFCP) for MANETs.
• To enhance network security by integrating robust attacker identification and classification mechanisms.
• To ensure energy efficiency and fairness in cluster head selection within MANETs.

Main Methods:

• Developed SFCP, a clustering approach incorporating security factors for attacker identification.
• Utilized a Byzantine agreement-based cooperative technique for accurate attacker classification.
• Implemented dynamic adjustment of belief and disbelief thresholds for nodes surrounded by malicious neighbors.

Main Results:

• SFCP effectively identifies and classifies attackers, increasing network resistance to malicious activities.
• The protocol ensures the selection of secure and energy-efficient cluster heads.
• Simulations in Network Simulator 2 demonstrate SFCP's effectiveness compared to AODV and CBRP.

Conclusions:

• SFCP provides a significant advancement in securing MANETs against various attacks.
• The proposed protocol balances security requirements with energy efficiency and clustering performance.
• SFCP offers a promising solution for enhancing the trustworthiness and reliability of mobile ad hoc networks.