Performance evaluation of ad hoc network under location-based attacks

Abstract

In a practical ad hoc network scene where routing attacks are deployed, attackers are likely to be located in specific geographical region, which is likely to cause different influence on network performance. Though many simulations works has been done on sorting out different kinds of attacks, little work has been focused on the potential link between the severity of attack and the deployment of attackers. In this paper, we pay specific attention to two common attacks in ad hoc network - flooding and active black-hole attack. We established several network scenery to illustrate possible unbalanced network in realistic occasions. And through extensive simulation work on those scenes, we study the connection between the locations of the malicious attackers and influence on network performance. We evaluate both long-term influence and transient impact of flooding attack. We also study active black hole's victim range in both random scene and internet-connected gateway node scene. By comparing attack severity of differently located attackers, we propose theories for attackers to achieve maximized performance influence by strategically placing the malicious nodes. We also provide guidelines for defenders to figure out key zones of defensive importance as well as possible locations of attackers.