Method and apparatus for source authentication in a communications network

A communications node comprising:

• a port for connection to a link to receive an incoming packet from a network;
• memory associating at least one source identifier with said link, wherein a source identifier is extracted from said received packet;
• logic for identifying a sending node from the at least one source identifier associated with the received packet;
• logic for testing if the sending node and the communication node are in a mutually trustworthy group, thereby avoiding a source local identifier (SLID) verification;
• logic for performing the SLID verification;
• and
• logic for comparing the extracted source identifier with said at least one source identifier associated with said link to authenticate the packet.

A computer-readable storage medium encoded with program instructions that when loaded into a machine cause the machine to perform a method for handling an incoming packet at a node in a network, said method comprising:

• associating at least one source identifier with a link to said node;
• receiving a packet at the node over said link;
• indentifying a sending node from the at least one source identifier associated with the received packet;
• if the sending node and the node in the network are in a mutually trustworthy group then avoiding a source local identifier (SLID) verification;
• otherwise performing the SLID verification by:
• extracting a source identifier from the received packet;
• and
• comparing the extracted source identifier with said at least one source identifier associated with said link to authenticate the packet.