Location-aware, Trust-based Detection and Isolation of Compromised Nodes in Wireless Sensor Networks

The detection and isolation of compromised nodes in wire-less sensor networks is a difficult task. However, failure to identify and isolate compromised nodes results in signifi-cant security breaches which lowers the integrity of gath-ered data. Using a reputation-based trust framework for wireless sensor networks we introduce a location-aware, trust-based protocol that detects and isolates compro-mised nodes. We employ a secure cluster formation al-gorithm to facilitate the establishment of trusted clusters via pre-distributed keys. Reputation and trust is built over time through the monitoring of neighboring nodes. Our scheme provides a mechanism for developing repu-tation and trust so that a device can determine whether other devices have been compromised, and take correc-tive action, through negative information sharing and in-dependent trust-based decision making. We also present a simple location verification algorithm that utilizes the received signal strength information in the process of ver-ifying reported location information. The effectiveness of our approach in the detection and isolation of compro-mise nodes is validated through simulation. The results indicate that our scheme provides an effective mechanism for detecting and isolating compromised colluding nodes.