BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS OF WIRELESS MESH NETWORKS UNDER DENIAL OF SERVICES ATTACKS

Abstract

Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) are data networks with mesh topology, formed by nodes that establish and maintain network connectivity automatically. They are self-configuring and easily adaptable to different traffic needs and network changes. Despite these advantages, they have security vulnerabilities and are prone to different attacks, including Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. Although in Cuba this type of network is not deployed, there are several rural and urban scenarios where their application would solve economically and effectively, the lack of connectivity and access to data services. For these reasons, this work gives continuity to the study on security in wireless networks based on 802.11 standards. In this case, attacks targeting the DoS in the Data Link Layer and the Network Layer of the OSI model were analyzed. The tool used for the simulation of the scenarios was OMNET++ along with modules from the INET and NETA frameworks. The measurements were made on the throughput, the percentage of lost packets, and the changes in the network topology. The results obtained can influence important decisions in the deployment of WMNs, such as the network topology and the routing protocol used, among others.