Security Issues & Challenges in Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) is a new wireless networking paradigm. Unlike traditional wireless networks, WMNs do not rely on any fixed infrastructure. Instead, hosts rely on each other to keep the network connected. Wireless internet service providers are choosing WMNs to offer Internet connectivity, as it allows a fast, easy and inexpensive network deployment. One main challenge in design of these networks is their vulnerability to security attacks. In this paper, we describe the specifics of WMNs and we identify three primary network operations that need to be secured. We identify the new challenges and opportunities posed by this new networking environment and explore approaches to secure its communication.