Techniques for authenticating network protocol control messages while changing authentication secrets

A method for exchanging network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain comprising the steps of:

• receiving, at a first network node of a domain plurality of network nodes, shared secret data that indicates a plurality of secret values, wherein each secret value is shared among a plurality of network nodes in the domain plurality;
• generating a network protocol control message that includes a corresponding plurality of cipher data fields, wherein each cipher data field is deciphered using a different one secret value of the plurality of secret values;
• and
• sending the network protocol control message to a second network node in the domain plurality.

A method for changing a secret value used to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain comprising the steps of:

• configuring each network node in a domain plurality of network nodes to use a first secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in the domain plurality;
• after every network node in the domain plurality has been configured with the first secret value, configuring each network node in the domain plurality to use a different second secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in the domain plurality;
• and
• after every network node has been configured with the second secret value, configuring each network node in the domain plurality to no longer use the first secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages, whereby a configured secret value for authentication is changed from the first secret value to the second secret value while maintaining communication of network protocol control messages among the domain plurality of network nodes.

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for exchanging network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving, at a particular network node of a domain plurality of network nodes, shared secret data that indicates a first set of one or more secret values, wherein each secret value is shared among a plurality of network nodes in the domain plurality;
• receiving, at the particular network node, a network protocol control message that includes a second set of one or more cipher data fields, wherein each cipher data field is deciphered using a secret value shared among a plurality of network nodes in the domain plurality;
• determining whether any secret value in the first set deciphers any cipher data field in the second set;
• and
• if it is determined that no secret value in the first set deciphers any cipher data field in the second set, then rejecting the network protocol control message,
• wherein at least one of the first set and the second set has a plurality of members, and each different member of the plurality of members in one set involves a different secret value.

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for exchanging network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving, at a first network node of a domain plurality of network nodes, shared secret data that indicates a plurality of secret values, wherein each secret value is shared among a plurality of network nodes in the domain plurality;
• generating a network protocol control message that includes a corresponding plurality of cipher data fields, wherein each cipher data field is deciphered using a different one secret value of the plurality of secret values;
• and
• sending the network protocol control message to a second network node in the domain plurality.

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for changing a secret value used to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• configuring each network node in a domain plurality of network nodes to use a first secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in the domain plurality;
• after every network node in the domain plurality has been configured with the first secret value, configuring each network node in the domain plurality to use a different second secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in the domain plurality;
• and
• after every network node has been configured with the second secret value, configuring each network node in the domain plurality to no longer use the first secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages, whereby a configured secret value for authentication is changed from the first secret value to the second secret value while maintaining communication of network protocol control messages among the domain plurality of network nodes.

An apparatus for exchanging network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain, comprising:

• means for receiving, at a particular network node of a domain plurality of network nodes, shared secret data that indicates a first set of one or more secret values, wherein each secret value is shared among a plurality of network nodes in the domain plurality;
• means for receiving, at the particular network node, a network protocol control message that includes a second set of one or more cipher data fields, wherein each cipher data field is deciphered using a secret value shared among a plurality of network nodes in the domain plurality;
• means for determining whether any secret value in the first set deciphers any cipher data field in the second set;
• and
• means for rejecting the network protocol control message if it is determined that no secret value in the first set deciphers any cipher data field in the second set,
• wherein at least one of the first set and the second set has a plurality of members, and each different member of the plurality of members in one set involves a different secret value.

An apparatus for exchanging network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain, comprising:

• means for receiving, at a first network node of a domain plurality of network nodes, shared secret data that indicates a plurality of secret values, wherein each secret value is shared among a plurality of network nodes in the domain plurality;
• means for generating a network protocol control message that includes a corresponding plurality of cipher data fields, wherein each cipher data field is deciphered using a different one secret value of the plurality of secret values;
• and
• means for sending the network protocol control message to a second network node in the domain plurality.

An apparatus for changing a secret value used to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain comprising:

• means for configuring each network node in a domain plurality of network nodes to use a first secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in the domain plurality;
• means for configuring each network node in the domain plurality to use a different second secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in the domain plurality, after every network node in the domain plurality has been configured with the first secret value;
• and
• means for configuring each network node in the domain plurality to no longer use the first secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages, after every network node has been configured with the second secret value, whereby a configured secret value for authentication is changed from the first secret value to the second secret value while maintaining communication of network protocol control messages among the domain plurality of network nodes.

An apparatus for exchanging network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain, comprising:

• a network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;
• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• receiving, at a particular network node of a domain plurality of network nodes, shared secret data that indicates a first set of one or more secret values, wherein each secret value is shared among a plurality of network nodes in the domain plurality;
• receiving, at the particular network node, a network protocol control message that includes a second set of one or more cipher data fields, wherein each cipher data field is deciphered using a secret value shared among a plurality of network nodes in the domain plurality;
• determining whether any secret value in the first set deciphers any cipher data field in the second set;
• and
• if it is determined that no secret value in the first set deciphers any cipher data field in the second set, then rejecting the network protocol control message,
• wherein at least one of the first set and the second set has a plurality of members, and each different member of the plurality of members in one set involves a different secret value.

An apparatus for exchanging network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain, comprising:

• a network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;
• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• receiving, at a first network node of a domain plurality of network nodes, shared secret data that indicates a plurality of secret values, wherein each secret value is shared among a plurality of network nodes in the domain plurality;
• generating a network protocol control message that includes a corresponding plurality of cipher data fields, wherein each cipher data field is deciphered using a different one secret value of the plurality of secret values;
• and
• sending the network protocol control message to a second network node in the domain plurality.

A system for changing a secret value used to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain, comprising a domain plurality of network nodes, each network node comprising:

• a network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;
• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors in the domain plurality of network nodes, causes the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• configuring the network node to use a first secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in the domain plurality;
• after every network node in the domain plurality has been configured with the first secret value, configuring the network node to use a different second secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in the domain plurality;
• and
• after every network node has been configured with the second secret value, configuring the network node to no longer use the first secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages,
• whereby a configured secret value for authentication is changed from the first secret value to the second secret value while maintaining communication of network protocol control messages among the domain plurality of network nodes.