Authentication protocol using threshold certification in hierarchical-cluster-based Ad hoc networks

Ad hoc networks are much more vulnerable to security attacks than wired networks or infrastructure-based wireless networks. Secure communication is very important in mobile ad hoc networks. We present detailed security threats against ad hoc routing protocols, specifically the selection of the cluster head (CH) and control cluster head (CCH) using a modification of cluster-based routing ARCH and DMAC. Our proposed protocol, called Authentication Protocol based on Hierarchical Clusters in Ad hoc Networks (AHCAN), designs an end-to-end authentication protocol that relies on mutual trust between nodes in other clusters. Our proposed authentication protocol uses certificates containing an asymmetric key using the threshold cryptography scheme. We successfully included the establishment of secure channels, the detection of reply attacks, mutual end-to-end authentication, prevention of node identity fabrication, and secure distribution of provisional session keys using shadow key certification of the threshold key configuration from CCHs.