Facilitating packet flow in a communication network implementing load balancing and security operations

A defender configured to facilitate packet flow in a communication network, comprising:

• an interface configured to:
• receive a request message sent from a node;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising logic coupled to the interface, the logic configured to:
• communicate the request message to a load balancer, the request message having a destination address associated with the load balancer, the load balancer configured to communicate the request packet to a network element server selected from a plurality of network element servers;
• the interface further configured to:
• receive a response message from the network element server, the response message comprising a reference to the request message;
• and
• the logic further configured to:
• determine that the response message has a source address different from the destination address of the request message, the source address identifying the network element server as a source;
• in response to determining that the response message has a source address different from the destination address of the request message, determine whether the source address of the response message is included in a list of addresses of approved servers, the list of addresses of approved servers stored at the defender;
• and
• communicate the response message to the node if the source address corresponds to an approved network element server.

At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to:

• receive at a defender a request message sent from a node;
• communicate, from the defender, the request message to a load balancer, the request message having a destination address associated with the load balancer, the load balancer comprising a device and logic, the load balancer configured to communicate the request packet to a network element server selected from a plurality of network element servers;
• receive, at the defender, a response message from the network element server, the response message comprising a reference to the request message;
• determine, at the defender, that the response message has a source address different from the destination address of the request message, the source address identifying the network element server as a source;
• in response to determining that the response message has a source address different from the destination address of the request message, determine, at the defender, whether the source address of the response message is included in a list of addresses of approved servers, the list of addresses of approved servers stored at the defender;
• and
• communicate, from the defender, the response message to the node if the source address corresponds to an approved network element server.

A system for facilitating packet flow in a communication network, comprising:

• a defender configured to:
• receive a request message sent from a node, the request message having a destination address associated with the load balancer;
• and
• a load balancer coupled to the defender, the load balancer configured to:
• receive the request message from the defender;
• and
• communicate the request message to a network element server selected from a plurality of network element servers;
• the defender further configured to:
• receive a response message from the network element server, the response message comprising a reference to the request message;
• determine that the response message has a source address different from the destination address of the request message, the source address identifying the network element server as a source;
• in response to determining that the response message has a source address different from the destination address of the request message, determine whether the source address is included in a list of addresses of approved servers, the list of addresses of approved servers stored at the defender;
• and
• communicate the response message to the node if the source address corresponds to an approved network element server.