A secure positioning algorithm against Sybil attack in wireless sensor networks based on number allocating

Abstract

In the process of locating in wireless sensor networks, the illegal nodes through Sybil attack can act as anchor nodes by capturing or constructing fake nodes, and further send the wrong location reference information. Considering the nodes through Sybil attack must first pass the neighbor's discovery and identification processes, we propose a secure positioning algorithm based on number allocating and mutual guarantee relying on neighbors. If the declaration number, the guaranteed node and its own ID of a node aren't completely matching, then the neighbors refuse the node to enter the network. The scheme also adopts the authentication mechanism of one-way hash function. There's no need for base station or cluster heads, so we achieve fast, lightweight and high detection rate secure localization. Compared with similar literature, this secure algorithm has a higher detection rate and positioning accuracy, and the communication cost is smaller.