Mobile ad hoc network wireless security: problems, solutions, and application: state-of-the-art

Mashhadani, Shahlaa; Hassen, Oday Ali; Alhakam, Iptehaj

doi:10.37652/juaps.2024.153957.1323

	Mobile ad hoc network wireless security: problems, solutions, and application: state-of-the-art
Journal of University of Anbar for Pure Science
Volume 19, Issue 2, November and December 2025, Pages 134-150 PDF (1.37 M)
Document Type: Review Paper
DOI: 10.37652/juaps.2024.153957.1323
Authors
Shahlaa Mashhadani^* ¹; Oday Ali Hassen²; Iptehaj Alhakam¹
¹Department of Computer, College of Education for Pure Sciences Ibn Al-Haitham, University of Baghdad, 10071, Iraq
²Ministry of Education, Wasit Education Directorate, Kut 52001, Iraq
Abstract
Dedicated mobile networks (MANETs) in wireless networks are prone to security issues because they are not regulated. They rely on a non-static infrastructure and do not have routers or fixed terminals to manage communication between devices. Networked devices, known as nodes, communicate directly with each other. Each node can act as a router and contribute to the transfer of data to other nodes. Therefore, the lack of regulation has several causes: (1) Network dynamics: devices in a MANET move continuously and frequently change location, altering established communication paths. (2) Decentralized architecture: there is no central point that manages data traffic; each node operates independently and is responsible for communication. (3) Devices are not always directly connected to each other, so data may need to pass through several hops to reach other nodes, which increases complexity and makes communication more difficult. This study examines MANET security challenges, suggests remedies, and proposes full security implementations. Security measures under investigation and potential implementation include attacks on the Domain Name System (DNS), distributed denial-of-service (DDoS), node abuse, energy-efficient security, trust management, intrusion detection systems, secure routing protocols, multilayer design, and machine-learning-based security. Implementing complete security methodologies, while addressing these issues, is necessary to enable effective wireless security for MANETs.
Keywords
Communication system security; Mobile ad hoc networks; Mobile communication; Routing protocols

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