Mobile　ad　hoc　network　(MANET)　is　a　set　of　independent　mobile　nodes,　which　connect　to　each　other　over　a　wireless　channel　without　any　centralized　infrastructure,　nor　integrated　security.　MANET　is　a　weak　target　to　many　Denial　of　Service　(DOS)　attacks,　which　seriously　harms　its　functionality　and　connectivity.　A　black　hole　attack　is　a　type　of　DOS　attack,　where　the　malevolent　node　tries　to　get　all　the　data　packets　from　a　source　node　by　sending　fabricated　fake　route　reply　(RREP)　packet,　falsely　pretending　that　it　possesses　the　shortest　path　towards　the　destination　node,　and　then　drops　all　the　packets　it　receives.　In　this　paper,　the　AODV　(Ad-hoc　on-demand　distance　vector)　routing　protocol　is　improved　by　incorporating　an　efficient　and　simple　mechanism　to　mitigate　black　hole　attacks.　Mechanism　to　detect　black　hole　attacks　from　MANET　(MDBM)　uses　fake　route　request　(RREQ)　packets　with　an　unreal　destination　address　in　order　to　detect　black　hole　nodes　prior　to　the　actual　routing　process.　Simulation　experiment　conducted　has　verified　the　performance　of　the　proposed　detection　and　prevention　scheme.　The　results　demonstrated　that　the　proposed　mechanism　performed　well　in　terms　of　Packet　Delivery　Ratio,　End-to-End　Delay　and　Throughput　under　black　hole　attack.　©　2018　The　Science　and　Information　(SAI)　Organization　Limited.