Algorithms for a distributed IDS in MANETs

•We developed an IDS for MANETs using distributed systems and dependability concepts.•The proposed system is able to identify various faulty or malicious nodes.•We calculated the cost of our algorithms in terms of the messages sent.•The prototype developed shows the viability of this model.

This paper presents a set of distributed algorithms that support an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) model for Mobile Ad hoc NETworks (MANETs). The development of mobile networks has implicated the need of new IDS models in order to deal with new security issues in these communication environments. More conventional models have difficulties to deal with malicious components in MANETs. In this paper, we describe the proposed IDS model, focusing on distributed algorithms and their computational costs. The proposal employs fault tolerance techniques and cryptographic mechanisms to detect and deal with malicious or faulty nodes. The model is analyzed along with related works. Unlike studies in the references, the proposed IDS model admits intrusions and malice in their own algorithms. In this paper, we also present test results obtained with an implementation of the proposed model.