Security Issues and Challenges in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks are one kind of distributed ad hoc networks used to provide a wireless communication infrastructure among the sensors deployed in a specific application domain. Sensor network is based on broadcast wireless medium susceptible to variety of attacks. Due to their characteristics such as small memory, limited energy resources, low computation capability, susceptibility to physical capture, and the use of insecure wireless communication channels make security in wireless sensor network as a challenging one. This paper, we discusses sensor network architecture, the major security issues and challenges in wireless sensor networks, their defense mechanisms, and security protocols and used to counter the issues.