Optimizing QOS in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks Through Advanced Routing Protocols Under Wormhole Attack Scenarios

Abstract

 A Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) is a wireless network that may autonomously reconfigure itself without relying on a centralised structure. This type of network does not have a fixed quantity and arrangement, but rather, it self-organizes and enables the automatic connection of diverse nodes. Due to its adaptive and strong character, this network is very susceptible to attacks, which may be easily rectified. Consequently, the attacker would then function as a transmitter or recipient for forged packets. The wormhole attack is considered one of the most perilous attacks on this network. A wormhole attack involves the unauthorised movement of data packets from one node to another, which may be a harmful node located either within or outside the network. In this study, we want to investigate the impact of a wormhole attack on two specific routing protocols: Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) and Dynamic Source Routing (DSR). The comparison will be conducted based on two primary network performance metrics: throughput and end-to-end delay. The simulation tests in this work will be conducted using Network Simulator-2 (NS-2) to calculate the impacts. This paper provides an alternative contribution to the realm of network attacks. The proposed Worm Hole Attack Model (WHAM) serves as an alternative for MANET routing in NS-2. WHAM has utilised the aforementioned tests to assess their resilience and durability when subjected to an attack.