MANET: Securing AODV Based on a Combined Immune Theories Algorithm (CITA)

Mobile Ad hoc Networks consist of a set of mobile nodes communicating with each other in a decentralized and dynamic topology where nodes provide retransmission capabilities. Communications between source nodes and destinations go through routes represented by a set of intermediate nodes that are required to adapt and behave in response to some actions according to orders given by the chosen routing protocol. Absence of a centralized architecture, in addition to open wireless medium of Ad hoc networks, as well as nodes mobility are ones of the network characteristics that render the environment much vulnerable to different routing attacks. A wide range of current researches focus on enhancing MANET security using various techniques like cryptography, but these mechanisms creates too much overhead. Artificial Immune Systems provide intrusion detection techniques based on the abstraction of the human immune system. They are known to be very efficient and lightweight algorithms. Multiple immune theories are implemented like Negative selection, Clonal selection, Danger theory, Immune network... etc. This paper proposes the use of combined immune theories as an Intrusion Detection System that integrates to the AODV routing protocol and that can sense the presence of non-trusted nodes, as it can eliminate them from the network. The proposed approach is tested and validated in presence of Packet Dropping Attack. Promising results in terms of network performance then are discussed.