Detecting Location-Based Attacks in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Sequential Analysis

ABSTRACT

Correct location information is an essential requirement in wireless sensor networks which sense and report location-based events. When such networks are deployed in remote and hostile environment, it is easy for an adversary to capture and tamper the sensor nodes. Such tampered nodes thwart the network operations by launching several attacks. Among security attacks, location-based attacks (LBAs) are the serious attacks on geographic routing which disrupts the network operations. This paper focuses on detecting and isolating malicious nodes launching LBAs. A method is proposed to detect false location claims using sequential probability ratio test. This method has been incorporated into a well-known Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing protocol. The efficiency of the framework is validated through ns-2 simulations. The simulation results show that the proposed framework is robust in detecting false location claims with very low false positive and false negative rates.

Keywords:

• Geographic routing
• Location-based attacks
• Malicious activity
• Sequential analysis
• Wireless sensor networks

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Raghu Vamsi Potukuchi

Raghu Vamsi Potukuchi is a PhD candidate in Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida, India, from July 2012. He received his B.E degree in CSE from University of Madras, Chennai, India, M.Tech degree in Software Engineering from Kakatiya University, Warangal, India, and MBA degree in Human Resource Management from IGNOU, New Delhi, India, during the years 2003, 2007, and 2010, respectively. Before joining JIIT, he has seven years of teaching experience in various engineering institutions. He is a student member of IEEE, ACM, and life member of CRSI, ISTE India.

E-mail: [email protected]

Krishna Kant

Krishna Kant, PhD, is a dean (Academic) at Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida. Earlier he served as senior director in the Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Government of India. He received his master's degree in physics (with specialization in Electronics) in the year 1972 from Jabalpur University, his master's degree in computer science in the year 1975 from BITS Pilani, and his PhD degree in computer science in the year 1980 from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. Dr Krishna Kant has wide experience in designing and implementing microprocessor-based, real-time systems for different applications. He coordinated the UNDP project on Microprocessor Application Engineering Program (MAEP) and was closely associated with the conceptualization and development of a number of agri-instrumentation systems at the MAEP Centre at JNKVV Jabalpur, India. He also imparted training to agriculture scientists on microprocessor applications. He taught ‘Microprocessor and Applications’ and ‘Computer Control of Processes’ courses to MCA and ME students, respectively, for three years at the University of Delhi, India. He has authored six books. He is a life fellow of IETE and life member of Indian Science Congress.

E-mail: [email protected]