Mobile　ad　hoc　networks　(MANETs),　which　correspond　to　a　novel　wireless　technology,　are　widely　used　in　Internet　of　Things　(IoT)　systems　such　as　drones,　wireless　sensor　networks,　and　military　or　disaster　relief　communication.　From　the　perspective　of　communication　and　data　collection,　the　success　rate　of　collaborations　between　nodes　in　mobile　ad　hoc　networks　and　reliability　of　data　collection　mainly　depend　on　whether　the　nodes　in　the　network　operate　normally,　namely,　according　to　the　established　network　rules.　However,　mobile　ad　hoc　networks　are　vulnerable　to　attacks　targeting　transmission　channels　and　nodes　owing　to　their　dynamic　evolution,　openness,　and　distributed　characteristics.　Therefore,　during　the　network　operation,　it　is　necessary　to　classify　and　detect　the　behavior　and　characteristics　of　each　node.　However,　most　existing　research　only　analyzes　and　considers　responses　against　a　single　or　small　number　of　attacks.　To　address　these　issues,　this　article　first　systematically　analyzed　and　classified　common　active　attacks　in　MANETs.　Then,　a　node　trust　model　was　proposed　based　on　the　characteristics　of　various　attacks;　subsequently,　a　new　secure　routing　protocol,　namely,　TC-AODV,　was　proposed.　This　protocol　has　minimal　effect　on　the　original　communication　dynamics　and　can　effectively　deal　with　Packet　drop,　wormhole,　Session　hijacking,　and　other　main　attacks　in　MANETs.　The　NS3　simulation　results　show　that　the　proposed　routing　protocol　attains　good　transmission　performance,　can　effectively　identify　various　attacks　and　bypass　malicious　nodes,　and　securely　complete　the　communication　process.　©　2023　The　Author(s)