A General Cooperative Intrusion Detection Architecture for MANETs

Intrusion detection in MANETs is challenging because these networks change their topologies dynamically; lack concentration points where aggregated traffic can be analyzed; utilize infrastructure protocols that are susceptible to manipulation; and rely on noisy, intermittent wireless communications. We present a cooperative, distributed intrusion detection architecture that addresses these challenges while facilitating accurate detection of MANET-specific and conventional attacks. The architecture is organized as a dynamic hierarchy in which detection data is acquired at the leaves and is incrementally aggregated, reduced, and analyzed as it flows upward toward the root. Security management directives flow downward from nodes at the top. To maintain communications efficiency, the hierarchy is automatically reconfigured as needed using clustering techniques in which clusterheads are selected based on topology and other criteria. The utility of the architecture is illustrated via multiple attack scenarios.