Dependability and Security on Wireless Self-Organized Networks: Properties, Requirements, Approaches and Future Directions

Security Threats

WSONs are susceptible to many threats. Network characteristics, such as dynamic topology, decentralized network architecture, shared wireless medium, low physical security of nodes and multi-hop communication result in different vulnerabilities and make difficult to maintain essential network services (Aad, 2004). The decentralized architecture, for example, requires cooperation among nodes by one-hop or multiple hop connectivity without having guarantees that all nodes will cooperate as expected. The network autonomy, high dynamism of the topology and the lack of access control facilitate the participation of malicious or selfish nodes in network operations. Further, wireless communication is vulnerable to interference and interceptions, and the low physical security of nodes increases their possibilities of being tampered with.