Security Challenges and Solutions in Wireless Sensor Networks: a Case study of Afghanistan

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This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.

Year : 2026 | Volume : 13 | 01 | Page :
    By

    Hafeezullah Sahibzda,

  • Dr. Mohammad Salem Hamidi,

  1. Student, Department of Computer science, Jahan University Kabul, Kabul, Afghanistan
  2. Lecturer, Department of Computer science, Jahan University Kabul, Kabul, Afghanistan

Abstract

Due to their capability to collect and relay data from locations without supervision, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have become essential for numerous contemporary applications (such as environmental monitoring, smart cities, and healthcare). However, the open and resource-constrained nature of WSNs makes them particularly vulnerable to security threats. This paper reviews the key security Issue faced by WSNs and the solutions proposed in recent literature. We examine the unique constraints of WSNs (limited energy, computation, and bandwidth) and how they complicate traditional security measures. Common attack types are surveyed, including routing attacks (e.g. wormhole, sinkhole, Sybil) and denial-of-service (e.g. jamming, flooding). Countermeasures are classified into categories such as lightweight cryptography and authentication protocols secure routing schemes, trust and reputation systems, intrusion-detection methods, and emerging approaches like machine learning and blockchain for anomaly detection and data integrity. This study assesses how effective these security mechanisms are across various network conditions, and it emphasizes the trade-offs among security strength, energy consumption, and network lifetime. Additionally, it addresses recent progress in energy-efficient security protocols and cross-layer design methods aimed at improving the overall resilience of systems. Our analysis highlights that no single solution fits all scenarios – instead, a combination of techniques is often required to balance security with WSN resource limitations. The review concludes with a discussion of open issues and recommendations for future research to achieve robust, energy-efficient security in WSNs.

Keywords: Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), Network Security, Routing Attacks, Denial-of-Service (DoS), Lightweight Cryptography, Intrusion Detection Systems, Energy Efficiency, Blockchain and Machine Learning

How to cite this article:
Hafeezullah Sahibzda, Dr. Mohammad Salem Hamidi. Security Challenges and Solutions in Wireless Sensor Networks: a Case study of Afghanistan. Recent Trends in Sensor Research & Technology. 2026; 13(01):-.
How to cite this URL:
Hafeezullah Sahibzda, Dr. Mohammad Salem Hamidi. Security Challenges and Solutions in Wireless Sensor Networks: a Case study of Afghanistan. Recent Trends in Sensor Research & Technology. 2026; 13(01):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/rtsrt/article=2026/view=241021


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Ahead of Print Subscription Review Article
Volume 13
01
Received 11/04/2026
Accepted 17/04/2026
Published 25/04/2026
Publication Time 14 Days
1

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