Abstract
Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs) offer on-the-fly connectivity for devices without fixed infrastructure, but their decentralized nature makes them vulnerable to malicious nodes that disrupt communication. Existing routing protocols struggle to guarantee reliable data transmission in such environments. This paper introduces Trusted Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (TS-AODV), a novel secure routing protocol for MANETs that leverages trust mechanisms to bolster network security. TS-AODV establishes a trust management system, assigning trust values to each node based on past behavior in forwarding packets. This value reflects a node’s reliability and cooperation. When selecting routes, TS-AODV considers both hop count (distance) and the trust values of involved nodes. Nodes with higher trust ratings are prioritized, effectively isolating malicious nodes with low trust from participating in critical data paths. Additionally, TS-AODV incorporates packet weighting, where more crucial data packets are directed through paths with the highest cumulative trust values. The trust value of a node is estimated by considering three factors: 1. the total number of packets sent, 2. the number of packets successfully delivered, and 3. the relevance of the information carried. This comprehensive approach helps identify nodes engaged in malicious activities like packet dropping or forwarding irrelevant data. Extensive simulations conducted in the NS2 network simulator demonstrate the effectiveness of TSAODV in identifying malicious nodes and resisting various attacks. These results highlight TS-AODV’s potential to secure data transmission and foster trust in MANETs, paving the way for more reliable and secure communication in dynamic wireless networks.
Keywords: Malicious Nodes, Mobile Adhoc Networks, Network Security, Routing Protocol, Wireless Networks.