Method, electronic device, and computer program product for address encryption

An electronic device, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the memory has instructions stored therein, and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to execute actions comprising:
• in response to receiving a first packet from a source device in a switch arranged between the source device and at least one server, extracting in the switch a first address representing an address of the source device from the first packet, the first packet being part of an ongoing communication process carried out between the source device and the at least one server, the communication process utilizing a data exchange service provided by the switch;
• for the first packet, mixing the first address with a random number in the switch to generate a mixed address, wherein the number of bits of the first address is the same as the number of bits of the random number, and the number of bits of the mixed address is twice the number of bits of the random number;
• for the first packet, encrypting the mixed address in the switch, utilizing different look-up tables of respective different types, stored in one or more memories of the switch, to encrypt different portions of the mixed address, wherein a length of a key utilized in the encrypting of the mixed address is determined by a control device separate from the switch;
• and
• for the first packet, generating, in the switch, a second address representing the address of the source device at least partially based on the encrypted mixed address, wherein the second address comprises a prefix field and an interface identifier field;
• wherein the extracting, mixing, encrypting and generating are repeated in the switch for each of one or more additional packets received in the switch from the same source device having the same first address, the one or more additional packets each being part of the ongoing communication process carried out between the source device and the at least one server utilizing the data exchange service provided by the switch;
• and
• wherein for the first and additional packets received from the same source device having the same first address, respective instances of the extracting, mixing, encrypting and generating utilize respective random numbers in the mixing to generate respective mixed addresses for the respective first and additional packets.

A computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and including machine-executable instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform actions comprising:

• in response to receiving a first packet from a source device in a switch arranged between the source device and at least one server, extracting in the switch a first address representing an address of the source device from the first packet, the first packet being part of an ongoing communication process carried out between the source device and the at least one server, the communication process utilizing a data exchange service provided by the switch;
• for the first packet, mixing the first address with a random number in the switch to generate a mixed address, wherein the number of bits of the first address is the same as the number of bits of the random number, and the number of bits of the mixed address is twice the number of bits of the random number;
• for the first packet, encrypting the mixed address in the switch, utilizing different look-up tables of respective different types, stored in one or more memories of the switch, to encrypt different portions of the mixed address, wherein a length of a key utilized in the encrypting of the mixed address is determined by a control device separate from the switch;
• and
• for the first packet, generating, in the switch, a second address representing the address of the source device at least partially based on the encrypted mixed address, wherein the second address comprises a prefix field and an interface identifier field;
• wherein the extracting, mixing, encrypting and generating are repeated in the switch for each of one or more additional packets received in the switch from the same source device having the same first address, the one or more additional packets each being part of the ongoing communication process carried out between the source device and the at least one server utilizing the data exchange service provided by the switch;
• and
• wherein for the first and additional packets received from the same source device having the same first address, respective instances of the extracting, mixing, encrypting and generating utilize respective random numbers in the mixing to generate respective mixed addresses for the respective first and additional packets.