Understanding network behavior that undergoes challenges is essential to
constructing a resilient and survivable network. Due to the mobility and wireless
channel properties, it is more difficult to model and analyze mobile ad hoc networks
under various challenges. In this paper, we provide a model to assess the vulnerability
of mobile ad hoc networks in face of malicious attacks. We analyze comprehensive
graph-theoretical properties and network performance of the dynamic
networks under attacks against the critical nodes using real-world mobility traces.
Motivated by minimum spanning tree and small-world networks, we propose a
network enhancement strategy by adding long-range links. We compare the performance
of different enhancement strategies by evaluating a list of robustness
measures. Our study provides insights into the design and construction of resilient
and survivable mobile ad hoc networks.