An Intrusion Detection Architecture for Clustered Wireless Ad Hoc Networks

Intrusion detection in wireless ad hoc networks is a challenging task because these networks change their topologies dynamically, lack concentration points where aggregated traffic can be analyzed, utilize infrastructure protocols that are susceptible to manipulation, and rely on noisy, intermittent wireless communications. Security remains a major challenge for these networks due their features of open medium, dynamically changing topologies, reliance on cooperative algorithms, absence of centralized monitoring points, and lack of clear lines of defense. In this paper, we present a cooperative, distributed intrusion detection architecture based on clustering of the nodes that addresses the security vulnerabilities of the network and facilitates accurate detection of attacks. The architecture is organized as a dynamic hierarchy in which the intrusion data is acquired by the nodes and is incrementally aggregated, reduced in volume and analyzed as it flows upwards to the cluster-head. The cluster-heads of adjacent clusters communicate with each other in case of cooperative intrusion detection. For intrusion related message communication, mobile agents are used for their efficiency in lightweight computation and suitability in cooperative intrusion detection. Simulation results show effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed architecture.