End-to-end integrity check of a communication stream

A method for checking end-to-end integrity of a communication stream communicated within a time-sensitive network, the time-sensitive network being an avionics communication network, the method comprising:

• a preliminary phase of virtual allocation of a virtual identifier to each of a plurality of communication streams communicated within the time-sensitive network, the virtual identifier being known only to each communication port, transmitter or receiver, located at one end of a communication stream;
• a message transmission phase implemented by a transmitter communication port located at one end of a communication stream, the transmission phase comprising, for each message transmitted within the stream:
• incrementation of the value of a counter of transmitted messages;
• determination of a transmission aggregate for integrity check obtained from:
• the virtual identifier of the communication stream known to the transmitter communication port;
• the value of the counter of transmitted messages;
• and
• a payload to be transmitted;
• and
• transmission of the message, within the stream, the transmitted message comprising at least the payload, the value of the counter of transmitted messages, and the transmission aggregate;
• and
• a reception phase of the message implemented by a receiver communication port located at the other end of the communication stream, the receiver communication port comprising a counter of received messages, said reception phase comprising, for each message received:
• reception of the message, within the stream, the received message comprising at least the payload, the value of the counter of transmitted messages, and the transmission aggregate,
• determination of a transmission aggregate for integrity check, obtained from:
• the virtual identifier of the communication stream known to the receiver communication port,
• the value of the counter of transmitted messages, received within the received message;
• and
• the payload received;
• and
• an end-to-end integrity check by comparing the transmission aggregate with the reception aggregate, a difference between the transmission aggregate and the reception aggregate activating rejection of the received message, whereas on the other hand, when the transmission aggregate and the reception aggregate are identical, the received message is accepted.