Are you a network security researcher or student exploring wireless network vulnerabilities? This post walks you through how to mitigate blackhole attacks in the AODV routing protocol using NS-3 (Network Simulator 3), specifically version ns-3.44 on Ubuntu 24.04. We’ll also guide you on modifying key NS3 source files and provide insights on testing your implementation.
📺 Watch the full setup and demo on my YouTube channel for step-by-step video instructions.
🛠️ Tools and Environment
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Network Simulator: NS-3.44
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Operating System: Ubuntu 24.04 (64-bit recommended)
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Routing Protocol: AODV (Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector)
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Attack Type: Blackhole Attack in Wireless Ad Hoc Networks
🚨 What Is a Blackhole Attack in AODV?
A Blackhole Attack occurs when a malicious node in a wireless network advertises itself as having the shortest path to all destinations, causing data packets to be misrouted and dropped. This is a critical vulnerability in AODV-based MANETs (Mobile Ad hoc Networks).
To download the source code:
https://github.com/tspradeepkumar/ns3_blackholeAttack/
Step-by-Step Instructions to Implement Blackhole Mitigation
✅ Step 1: Modify AODV Protocol Source Files
You need to replace the default AODV implementation with your custom one that includes blackhole attack detection and mitigation logic.
Files to Replace:
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aodv-routing-protocol.cc
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aodv-routing-protocol.h
Destination Folder:
✅ Step 2: Rebuild NS3 with the New AODV Implementation
Open your terminal and run the following commands to configure and build NS3:
This compiles NS3 with your modified AODV protocol, now capable of detecting and mitigating blackhole attacks.
✅ Step 3: Test the Blackhole Attack Simulation
Create and copy two new source files for testing:
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blackhole.cc
– Main file to simulate the blackhole scenario -
myapp.h
– Supports UDP-based communication for traffic generation
Destination Folder:
After placing the files, run the simulation and observe the results.
📊 Output Results: Blackhole Attack Mitigation in Action
✅ Without Blackhole Attack:
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Packets Sent = Packets Received
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No Packet Loss
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Ideal behaviour of a secure wireless network
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Without a blackhole attack |
❌ With Blackhole Attack:
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Packets Dropped
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Received Bytes < Transmitted Bytes
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Indicates data interception or loss due to malicious nodes
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With a blackhole attack 📈 Flow Analysis – Flow ID vs Delay: You can also analyse FlowMonitor output to study how delay varies across flows in both attack and mitigation scenarios. |
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Blackhole attack flow |
📺 Watch the Complete Video Tutorial
Blackhole Attack NS3
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AODV Protocol NS3 Simulation
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NS-3.44 Blackhole Mitigation
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Wireless Network Security Ubuntu
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Mobile Ad Hoc Network Attack Detection
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How to Detect Blackhole Attack in AODV
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NS3 Blackhole Simulation Tutorial
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Secure AODV Routing in NS-3
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