Trust Evaluation Based Security Solution in Ad Hoc Networks

Abstract

Abstract. Ad hoc networks are new paradigm of networks offering unrestricted mobility without any underlying infrastructure. The ad hoc networks have salient characteristics that are totally different from conventional networks. These cause extra challenges on security. In an ad hoc network, each node should not trust any peer. However, traditional cryptographic solution is useless against threats from internal compromised nodes. Thus, new mechanisms are needed to provide effective security solution for the ad hoc networks. In this paper, a trust evaluation based security solution is proposed to provide effective security decision on data protection, secure routing and other network activities. Logical and computational trust analysis and evaluation are deployed among network nodes. Each node's evaluation of trust on other nodes should be based on serious study and inference from such trust factors as experience statistics, data value, intrusion detection result, and references of other nodes, as well as node owner's preference and policy. In order to prove the applicability of the proposed solution, authors further present a routing protocol and analyze its security over several active attacks.