Trust and Reputation-Based Secure Routing Framework for Wireless Sensor Networks: Enhancing Security and Energy Ef-ficiency

Abstract

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are susceptible to attacks such as Sybil attacks, blackhole attacks, and selective forwarding due to their decentralized nature and limited resources. Energy-efficient routing protocols based on LEACH are primarily focused on conserving energy and are not effective in dealing with security threats. In this research, a trust and reputation-based secure routing scheme is introduced that dynamically evaluates node behavior, detects malicious nodes, and maximizes energy conservation. The scheme integrates trust-aware cluster head (CH) selection, adaptive trust thresholding, and an energy-aware routing mechanism to enhance the adversarial attack resilience of the network. Simulation results validate that the scheme yields a 93% Packet Delivery Rate (PDR), increases energy efficiency by 20%, and increases malicious node detection accuracy to 97%, effectively increasing network life by 35% compared to current LEACH protocols. These findings validate the effectiveness of the trust-based framework in making WSNs more efficient and secure in terms of resource utilization. Future research will explore combining machine learning-based anomaly detection to enhance security and adaptability.