Replay attacks in mobile wireless ad hoc networks: Protecting the OLSR protocol

Abstract

This paper discusses the possible effect of replay attacks on the Optimized Link State Routing protocol. It is investigated to which extent an adversary is able to achieve network control by replaying old protocol messages. Even without particular countermeasures the adversary has to overcome considerable difficulties in order to succeed. We propose a simple protection scheme based on the message sequence number and the procedures already embedded in the routing protocol. Our scheme is an alternative to replay protection based on clocks and timestamp exchange protocols. ̊ Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.