Performance Evaluation of Mobile RPL-Based IoT Networks under Sinkhole Attacks

Abstract The rapid expansion of Internet of Things (IoT) deployments has increased reliance on Low-power and Lossy Networks (LLNs), where the Routing Protocol for LLNs (RPL) is widely adopted. However, RPL networks are vulnerable to sinkhole attacks that manipulate routing information to disrupt communication. This study evaluates the performance of mobile RPL-based IoT networks under such attacks, considering both mobility and attacker presence. Key metrics, including packet delivery ratio, inter-packet time, power consumption, and isolated nodes, are analyzed using Cooja simulations. Results indicate that mobility intensifies attack impact, causing instability and performance degradation, emphasizing the need for mobility-aware security mechanisms.