The main aim of this work is to guarantee a security solution which provides defence against attacks. To achieve that, a secure routing protocol (SMAODV) is presented which makes use of the multiple paths between source-destination pairs for removing the malicious routes from the network thereby reducing the effect of the attack to a great extent.

MANET is a class of ad hoc networks which spans a huge spectrum of other networking paradigms such as WMN, WSN, and VANET etc. There is a dire need for strengthening the base of all these networks from the security point of view. The vulnerability of MANET’s towards the attacks is huge as compared to their wired counterparts. MANET’s are vulnerable to attacks because of the unique characteristics which they exhibit like the absence of central authority, usage of wireless links, dynamism in topology, shared medium, constrained resources etc. The ramification being that the security needs of MANET’s become absolutely different than the ones which exist in the customary networks. One of the basal vulnerabilities of MANET’s come from their peer to peer architecture which is completely open wherein the mobile nodes act as routers, the medium of communication is open me reachable to both the legitimate users of the network as well as the malicious nodes.

Consequently, there is a bankruptcy of clear line of defence from the perspective of security design. This in turn implies that any node which may even be authentic can enter the network and affect its performance by dropping the packets instead of forwarding them. When these types of attacks occur in ad hoc networks then even the standard routing protocols like AODV, DSDV, DSR, LAR, and LAMR etc. do not provide the required security. The proposed solutions in literature such as SAODV, ARAN, and SEAODV all provide authentication and encryption based solutions to these attack. But, the attack on availability which is the most common and easiest of them all cannot be avoided by authentication and encryption because even the authentic user can be the attacker. Also, encryption cannot be helpful to prevent such attacks. Therefore in such a situation if a proper solution is not provided the entire MANET operation will get crippled.

Excerpt

Chapter I: Introduction

1.1 Introduction
1.2 Characteristics of MANETS
1.3 Architecture of MANETS
1.4 MANET Standards
1.5 MANET Challenges
1.6 Security Challenges
1.7 Criteria for Security in MANET

Chapter II: State of Art and Literature

2.1 Introduction
2.2 Proactive Routing Protocols
2.3 Reactive protocols
2.4 Position Based Routing Protocols
2.5 Routing Protocol Comparison

Chapter III: Proposed Secure Multipath Routing Protocol

3.1 Introduction to Proposed Routing Protocol
3.2 Secure Multipath Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector Routing Protocol (SMAODV)

Chapter IV: Experimental Evaluation

4.1 Introduction
4.2 Simulation Results

Chapter V: Conclusion and Future

5.1 Summary
5.2 Future Work

Objectives and Key Themes

This dissertation aims to address the security vulnerabilities of Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) by proposing a secure routing protocol. MANETs, due to their decentralized nature and reliance on wireless communication, are susceptible to various attacks. The research focuses on developing a solution that enhances the security and availability of MANETs, particularly against attacks targeting the availability of network resources.

Security vulnerabilities in MANETs
The impact of attacks on MANET availability
Development of a secure multipath routing protocol
Evaluation of the proposed protocol's effectiveness
Future directions for improving MANET security

Chapter Summaries

Chapter I: Introduction: This chapter provides a foundational overview of Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs), highlighting their unique characteristics, such as the absence of a central authority, reliance on wireless links, dynamic topology, and shared medium. It emphasizes the inherent security challenges posed by these characteristics, particularly the vulnerability to attacks that compromise the availability of network resources, even by seemingly legitimate nodes. The chapter sets the stage for the dissertation's focus on developing a secure routing protocol to mitigate these vulnerabilities. The discussion of single-hop and multi-hop communication within MANETs lays the groundwork for understanding the complexities of routing and security in this environment.

Chapter II: State of Art and Literature: This chapter presents a comprehensive review of existing literature on routing protocols in MANETs. It categorizes and compares various approaches, including proactive, reactive, and position-based routing protocols. This review serves as a critical analysis of existing solutions and identifies gaps in addressing the availability challenges within MANET security. The chapter sets the context for the proposed solution, highlighting the limitations of existing authentication and encryption-based approaches in protecting against availability attacks. A detailed comparison of different protocol types informs the design choices made in the proposed secure routing protocol.

Chapter III: Proposed Secure Multipath Routing Protocol: This chapter details the design and implementation of a novel secure multipath routing protocol, SMAODV. The chapter explains how the protocol leverages multiple paths between source and destination nodes to enhance resilience against attacks targeting availability. By distributing traffic across multiple paths, the protocol aims to mitigate the impact of malicious nodes dropping packets, thereby ensuring continued network operation even under attack. The design considerations, including security mechanisms and protocol specifics, are thoroughly explained within this section.

Chapter IV: Experimental Evaluation: This chapter presents the results of simulations used to evaluate the performance of the proposed SMAODV protocol. The chapter details the simulation methodology, including the network configurations and attack scenarios used. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed protocol in enhancing MANET security, specifically in mitigating attacks targeting the availability of network resources. A detailed analysis of the results highlights the strengths and limitations of the proposed protocol.

Keywords

Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs), Security, Routing Protocols, Multipath Routing, Availability Attacks, Secure Routing, SMAODV, Wireless Networks, Network Security, Ad hoc Networks.

Frequently Asked Questions: A Secure Multipath Routing Protocol for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

What is the main topic of this dissertation?

This dissertation focuses on enhancing the security of Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) by proposing and evaluating a novel secure multipath routing protocol. The research specifically addresses vulnerabilities that impact the availability of network resources.

What are Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETS)?

MANETs are self-configuring, infrastructureless networks composed of mobile devices communicating wirelessly. Their decentralized nature and reliance on wireless communication introduce unique security challenges.

What are the key security challenges in MANETs addressed in this research?

The research addresses security vulnerabilities in MANETs that affect the availability of network resources. These vulnerabilities are often exploited by attacks that target the network's ability to function properly.

What is the proposed solution to improve MANET security?

The dissertation proposes a new secure multipath routing protocol called SMAODV (Secure Multipath Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector Routing Protocol). This protocol uses multiple paths to transmit data, making the network more resilient to attacks that aim to disrupt network availability by targeting individual paths.

How does the SMAODV protocol work?

SMAODV enhances resilience by distributing traffic across multiple paths between source and destination nodes. This approach mitigates the impact of malicious nodes dropping packets, ensuring continued network operation even under attack. The protocol incorporates security mechanisms to protect against various attacks.

What types of routing protocols are discussed in the dissertation?

The dissertation reviews existing routing protocols, categorizing them into proactive, reactive, and position-based protocols. A comparative analysis of these protocols informs the design choices of the proposed SMAODV protocol.

How is the effectiveness of the SMAODV protocol evaluated?

The effectiveness of SMAODV is evaluated through simulations. The dissertation details the simulation methodology, network configurations, and attack scenarios used to assess the protocol's performance in mitigating availability attacks.

What are the key findings of the simulation results?

The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of SMAODV in improving MANET security, particularly in enhancing the availability of network resources under attack. The analysis highlights both the strengths and limitations of the proposed protocol.

What are the future research directions outlined in the dissertation?

The dissertation concludes by outlining potential future research directions related to further improving MANET security and the functionalities of the SMAODV protocol.

What are the key words associated with this research?