Security in Routing Protocol for Ad Hoc Networks

In this paper, we discuss security issues and their current solutions in the ad hoc Networks. Ad hoc networks are a key factor in the evolution of wireless communications. An ad hoc wireless network is a collection of wireless nodes that self-configure to construct a network without the need for any established infrastructure or backbone. Security in ad hoc network is a grand challenge problem now a day. To enhance the security levels in the routing protocol to prevent the network against active and passive attacks without the presence of central authority. A peer review process has been introduced to check the integrity and non-repudiation of the routing packets and key exchange packets. Many of the ad hoc routing protocols that address security issues rely on implicit trust relationships to route packets among participating nodes. The general security objectives like authentication, confidentiality, integrity, availability and nonrepudiation, the ad hoc routing protocols should also address location confidentiality, cooperation fairness and absence of traffic diversion. Various approaches and protocols have been proposed to address ad hoc networking problems, and multiple standardization efforts are under way within the Internet Engineering Task Force, as well as academic and industrial research projects. In this paper we attempt to analyze threats faced by the ad hoc network environment and provide a classification of the various security mechanisms.