A game-theory based secure routing mechanism in mobile ad hoc network

Abstract

Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) is an infrastructure less, decentralized, dynamic network consisting of wireless mobile nodes that communicate with each other without any centralized authority. Although MANET plays a great role in modern development of commercial applications, it is vulnerable to various kinds of security attacks among which one of the major concerns is dropping packets by selfish nodes. At the same time, malicious nodes also need to be avoided to provide secure routing. Here, based on Packet Forward Rate (PFR) and Route Density Factor (RDF), a new scheme based on game theory has been developed that will detect selfish nodes and avoid malicious nodes of the system for packet transmission. During data transmission if any node of the selected path moves out of the radio range, then an alternate backup route will be formed from that position so that data transmission never stops. So, this scheme guarantees secure routing and constructs alternate backup route for guaranteed packet transmission. This scheme also ensures minimum amount of idle time.