Relentless Firefly Optimization-Based Routing Protocol (RFORP) for Securing Fintech Data in IoT-Based Ad-Hoc Networks

– The widespread adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) technology and the rise of fintech applications have raised concerns regarding the secure and efficient routing of data in IoT-based ad-hoc networks (IoT-AN). Challenges in this context include vulnerability to security breaches, potential malicious node presence, routing instability, and energy inefficiency. This article proposes the Relentless Firefly Optimization-based Routing Protocol (RFORP) to overcome these issues. Inspired by fireflies’ natural behaviour, RFORP incorporates relentless firefly optimization techniques to enhance packet delivery, malicious node detection, routing stability, and overall network resilience. Simulation results demonstrate RFORP’s superiority over existing protocols, achieving higher packet delivery ratios, accurate malicious node detection, improved routing stability, and significant energy efficiency. The proposed RFORP offers a promising solution for securing fintech data in IoT-AN, providing enhanced performance, reliability, and security while effectively addressing the identified challenges. This research contributes to advancing secure routing protocols in fintech applications and guides network security and protocol selection in IoT environments.