Abstract

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have become widespread in recent years due to their uses in healthcare, infrastructure monitoring, environmental sensing, tactical surveillance, and defense. However, their inherent vulnerabilities pose significant security threats and performance challenges. WSNs are highly exposed to wormhole attacks and congestion which affects the reliability and efficiency of a network. Current routing protocols often lack comprehensive trust mechanisms to address these challenges effectively. This study aims to evaluate trust-based multi-path routing protocols to counter wormhole attacks and minimize congestion, enhancing security and performance in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). It focuses on six key trust attributes to identify the most impactful factors. A survey of 29 network security experts of various experience levels examined six key trust attributes: encryption, authentication, route disjointedness, observation similarity, packet delivery, and end-to-end latency. Statistical techniques including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis were used to assess each attribute’s impact. The similarity of observation and route disjointedness were identified as the most crucial factors, with mean scores of 55.52 and 53.31. While authentication was valued, opinions varied, suggesting it should be part of a broader security framework. No differences were found in trust attribute evaluations based on qualifications or experience, indicating consensus among experts. The study shows that trust-based multi-path routing can curb wormhole attacks and detect congestion in WSNs.