Secure data delivery in mobile ad hoc network using multiple paths

Abstract

A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is a self configurable, self organized, infrastructure less multi hop mobile wireless network.Characteristics of ad hoc network make security a critical issue i.e. any node can join the network without revealing its presence as well as any node can behave in either a passive way (eavesdropping the message) or in an active way (manipulating the message, signal interference or jamming the network). When a node has some confidential information needed to transmit to other node, it needs some secure data delivery protocols such that, information can reach to intended node confidentially without tempered. We have studied two secure data delivery protocols namely SPREAD and Xia et al‟s scheme. These protocols focus on how to deliver a secret message over insecure MANET using multiple paths. These protocols provide confidentiality and robustness but don‟t focus on authentication and integrity. Due to the lack of authentication, any node can impersonate the good node or the intermediate node can manipulate message and no one can detect this misbehaviour. We have proposed a scheme that aims to provide confidentiality, authentication, and robustness for a message when they are delivered across the insecure MANET. We have used the concept of SPREAD, where message transforms into multiple shares and then delivers the shares via multiple independent paths to the destination, so that if a small number of nodes that are used to relay the message shares are compromised, the whole message is not compromised. We are using basic idea of TESLA to provide authentication. Finally, when we analyzed our proposed protocol and compared it with SPREAD. Our analysis showed that the proposed scheme provides all basic security objectives as well as it protects against data tempering, impersonation, replay and known session key attacks.