Enhancement of Security in MANET using Modified Crow Harris Hawks Optimization Algorithm for IoT Applications

Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) are dynamic and decentralized wireless networks that play a essential role in Internet of Things (IoT) applications. MANET is a frequently used independent wireless architecture to communicate with mobile nodes. Instead, MANET operates without a central hub, which might be useful in certain situations: emergent activities, defense-related applications, electronic gadgets, and resident services. So many people utilize MANET for their facilities, it is important to ensure that only authorized users may connect to the network. However, their inherent characteristics, such as dynamic topology, limited resources, and lack of centralized control, expose them to various security vulnerabilities. This paper presents a new approach for enhancing network security in MANETs using the Modified Crow Harris Hawks Optimization (MCHO) algorithm. The proposed MCHO algorithm joins the exploration strengths of the Crow Search Algorithm and the exploitative capabilities of Harris Hawks Optimization, attaining a robust stability among convergence speed as well as solution quality. Extensive simulations were conducted to evaluate the algorithm's performance under different MANET scenarios, comparing it with existing methods such as Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) and Genetic Algorithm (GA). The results demonstrate the performance of optimization algorithms—ACO, GA, CHHSO as well as MCHO—assessed in terms of their cost function over improving iterations. The analysis shows that MCHO always outperforms the remaining algorithms, achieving the highest cost function of 0.23 at 100<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">th</sup> iteration, followed by CHHSO with a cost function of 0.20. GA attains a reasonable progress with a cost function of 0.19, while ACO shows the least performance, achieving only 0.16 at the same point. These results highlight the superiority of MCHO in enhancing the security for the allocated scenario.