Security threats and solutions in Ad Hoc network

Ad hoc network is decentralized type of wireless communication that do not require preexisting physical infrastructure in order to be connected. the nodes in the network are connected to each other wirelessly. Most ad hoc networks are mostly local area networks. 

Each device participates in routing activity by determining the route using the routing algorithm and sending data t other devices via this route. This means it is cheaper to install ad hoc networks compared to wired networks. But although they are cheap to install, they lack the basic security measures present in wired communications. Example they do not have an organization to promote the required security measures. Also, the network name is seen in public places making it vulnerable to cyber attackers.

Security threats in ad hoc networks

1. Passive eaves dropping – this refers to attempt to listen to the transmitted signals and network traffic without disrupting the network. The attacker can analyze the broadcast message to reveal some information about the network. Passive eavesdropping can pose a threat to the location privacy of the nodes. this means that the attackers of the network may know the exact location of the nodes. Also, passive eavesdropping can capture routing updates. Through routing updates, the attacker can know the topology of the network and can identify the more active and more critical network nodes.

2. Denial of service attack – it aims to cripple the availability of a certain node in an ad hoc network or even the entire services of the ad hoc network. DoS attacks in ad hoc networks represent a serious security attack in ad hoc networks due to their characteristics such as dynamic topology, decentralized control and wireless communication. attackers can flood the network with high frequency signals therefore interfering with the communication between the nodes. The network can also be flooded with fake control packet or requests hence consuming the network bandwidth and causing delays in communication.

3. Routing threats – multiple threats face the routing of ad hoc networks. They include confidentiality, integrity and availability.in confidentiality there is the problem of the routing data itself. If the routing data were to be compromised this would arise the problem of the integrity of the data being transferred. The integrity of an ad hoc network relies on the accuracy of each routing nodes information. Also, all routing nodes should be able to access information at all times. There should be no delays in obtaining information. 

4. Impersonation- - this occurs if there is no proper authentication of the parties.

Compromised nodes may join the network masquerading as some other trusted node or send false routing information. In network management, the attacker could gain access to the configuration system of a superuser while in service level, the attacker has his/her public key certified without proper documents. 

Solutions to security threats in ad hoc networks.

Authenticity – this is the assurance that participators in the communication are genuine and not impersonators. It is necessary for participants in the communication to prove their identity using some technique to ensure their authenticity. Digital signatures can be used to ensure the authenticity of the nodes. Public key infrastructure can be used to issue certificates for node authentication.

Authorization – this is where a participant in a communication is given access to certain privileges and permissions. Different users are given different rights. Authorization should be enforced in all routing faces thus preventing unauthorized nodes from launching routing attacks. Authentication can be provide using a public key or symmetric cryptography.

Intrusion detection systems – since ad hoc networks are decentralized, intrusion detection systems can help identify malicious nodes by having nodes monitor each other’s behavior. IDS help to detect possible violation of a security policy by monitoring system activities and responding to those that are intrusive. Specification based intrusion detection detect the intrusion of a specified routing protocol e.g. AODV (ad hoc on demand distance vector)

Encryption – data that is being transferred in ad hoc networks can be encrypted for secure communications. Each participant is therefore provided with a public key to decrypt the message.

Mitigating denial of service attacks – ensure that nodes that nodes do not misuse the available resources by allocating resources fairly and limiting the rate of requests

Conclusion

The remote nature of ad hoc networks makes them prone to remote attacks. This is because it is hard to employ convenient security measures to them. However the manufacturers of ad hoc networks should make sure they employ basic security measures like authentication and authorization hence reducing the risks of security threats. Also encryption the information sent over the network will help in maintaining the integrity of the data sent.