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Research Article |

STAGNet-COpt: A Spatio-Temporal Attention Graph Network with Cluster-based Optimized Trust Routing for MANET Security

Author(s): Manbir Kaur Brar1,3*, Sukhpreet Singh2, and Sajjan Singh3

Published In : International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Research (IJEER)        Volume 14, Issue 1

Publisher : FOREX Publication

Published : 30 March 2026

e-ISSN : 2347-470X

Page(s) : 225-241

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37391/IJEER.140124

Abstract

Mobile Ad Hoc Networks are highly dynamic and infrastructure-less environments that are inherently vulnerable to a range of routing-based attacks. To address the limitations of traditional defense mechanisms, this paper proposes STAGNet-COpt, a novel spatio-temporal trust-aware defense framework that integrates deep learning-based attack detection, fuzzy clustering, and hybrid meta-heuristic routing optimization. The detection component, STAGNet, leverages Graph Attention Networks in combination with Long Short-Term Memory networks to capture both the topological dependencies and temporal behavior of nodes for accurate intrusion detection. To enhance routing security and efficiency, TrustFuzz employs fuzzy logic for trust-aware clustering, while WOACO-R, a hybrid of Whale Optimization Algorithm and Ant Colony Optimization, is utilized for adaptive and trustworthy route selection. The framework is evaluated using NS-2 simulations under diverse attack scenarios, including blackhole, wormhole, grayhole, denial-of-service, and integrated attacks, across varying node densities. Results show that STAGNet-COpt achieves an average Packet Delivery Ratio of 94.05%, packet loss of 5.45%, throughput of 119.5 kbps, end-to-end delay of 3.63 ms, and routing overhead of 325.25, significantly outperforming existing benchmarks. The proposed model demonstrates high scalability, detection accuracy, and resilience, establishing a robust and intelligent solution for secure MANET communication.

Keywords: MANETs, Security, Integrated Attacks, Deep Learning, Optimization, Trust.




Manbir Kaur Brar, ECE Department, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India; Email: manbirbrar90@gmail.com

Sukhpreet Singh, ECE Department, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India; Email: sukhpreet.ece@cumail.in

Sajjan Singh, ECE Department, Chandigarh Engineering College, Chandigarh Group of Colleges Jhanjeri-140307, Mohali, Punjab, India; Email: sajjantech@gmail.com

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Manbir Kaur Brar, Sukhpreet Singh, and Sajjan Singh (2026), STAGNet-COpt: A Spatio-Temporal Attention Graph Network with Cluster-based Optimized Trust Routing for MANET Security. IJEER 14(1), 225-241. DOI: 10.37391/IJEER.140124.