Methods and apparatus for reducing the effectiveness of chosen location attacks in a peer-to-peer overlay network

A node operable to protect against chosen location attacks in a peer-to-peer overlay network, the node comprising:

• means for determining that new node identifiers are to be generated for a plurality of nodes in the overlay network;
• means for inputting selected parameters to a hash function to generate a selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is verified by a first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier;
• and
• means for adopting a location in the peer-to-peer overlay network associated with the selected node identifier by establishing links based on the selected node identifier with a second set of nodes that are adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier while maintaining links based on a prior node identifier with the first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the first set of nodes is different from the second set of nodes, wherein the links between the node and the first set of nodes after generation of the selected node identifier comprise chords that form direct paths across the peer-to-peer overlay network, and wherein at least one of the first set of nodes is not adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier.

A node operable to protect against chosen location attacks in a peer-to-peer overlay network, the node comprising:

• a timing module, comprising hardware, configured to determine that new node identifiers are to be generated for a plurality of nodes in the overlay network;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• input selected parameters to a hash function to generate a selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is verified by a first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier;
• and
• adopt a location in the peer-to-peer overlay network associated with the selected node identifier by establishing links based on the selected node identifier with a second set of nodes that are adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier while maintaining links based on a prior node identifier with the first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the first set of nodes is different from the second set of nodes, wherein the links between the node and the first set of nodes after generation of the selected node identifier comprise chords that form direct paths across the peer-to-peer overlay network, and wherein at least one of the first set of nodes is not adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium to protect against chosen location attacks in a peer-to-peer overlay network embodying codes executable to:

• determine that new node identifiers are to be generated for a plurality of nodes in the overlay network;
• input selected parameters to a hash function to generate a selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is verified by a first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier;
• and
• adopt a location in the peer-to-peer overlay network associated with the selected node identifier by establishing links based on the selected node identifier with a second set of nodes that are adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier while maintaining links based on a prior node identifier with the first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the first set of nodes is different from the second set of nodes, wherein the links between the node and the first set of nodes after generation of the selected node identifier comprise chords that form direct paths across the peer-to-peer overlay network, and wherein at least one of the first set of nodes is not adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier.

A method for operating a node to protect against chosen location attacks in a peer-to-peer overlay network, the method comprising:

• detecting, by a processor at the node, responsibility for initiating an update to one or more node identifiers associated with one or more nodes, respectively;
• generating, by the processor at the node, parameters that can be used by the one or more nodes to generate the one or more node identifiers;
• and
• transmitting, by a transceiver at the node, the parameters on the peer-to-peer overlay network, wherein the parameters are used to generate a selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is verified by a first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is used to adopt a location for the node in the peer-to-peer overlay network by establishing links based on the selected node identifier with a second set of nodes that are adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier while maintaining links based on a prior node identifier with the first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the first set of nodes is different from the second set of nodes, wherein the links between the node and the first set of nodes after generation of the selected node identifier comprise chords that form direct paths across the peer-to-peer overlay network, and wherein at least one of the first set of nodes is not adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier.

A node configured to protect against chosen location attacks in a peer-to-peer overlay network, the node comprising:

• means for detecting responsibility for initiating an update to one or more node identifiers associated with one or more nodes, respectively;
• means for generating parameters that can be used by the one or more nodes to generate the one or more node identifiers;
• and
• means for transmitting the parameters on the peer-to-peer overlay network, wherein the parameters are used to generate a selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is verified by a first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is used to adopt a location for the node in the peer-to-peer overlay network by establishing links based on the selected node identifier with a second set of nodes that are adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier while maintaining links based on a prior node identifier with the first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the first set of nodes is different from the second set of nodes, wherein the links between the node and the first set of nodes after generation of the selected node identifier comprise chords that form direct paths across the peer-to-peer overlay network, and wherein at least one of the first set of nodes is not adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier.

A node configured to protect against chosen location attacks in a peer-to-peer overlay network, the node comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• detect responsibility for initiating an update to one or more node identifiers associated with one or more nodes, respectively;
• and
• generate parameters that can be used by the one or more nodes to generate the one or more node identifiers;
• and
• a transceiver configured to transmit the parameters on the peer-to-peer overlay network, wherein the parameters are used to generate a selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is verified by a first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is used to adopt a location for the node in the peer-to-peer overlay network by establishing links based on the selected node identifier with a second set of nodes that are adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier while maintaining links based on a prior node identifier with the first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the first set of nodes is different from the second set of nodes, wherein the links between the node and the first set of nodes after generation of the selected node identifier comprise chords that form direct paths across the peer-to-peer overlay network, and wherein at least one of the first set of nodes is not adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium to protect against chosen location attacks in a peer-to-peer overlay network embodying codes executable to:

• detect responsibility for initiating an update to one or more node identifiers associated with one or more nodes, respectively;
• generate parameters that can be used by the one or more nodes to generate the one or more node identifiers;
• and
• transmit the parameters on the peer-to-peer overlay network, wherein the parameters are used to generate a selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is verified by a first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the selected node identifier is used to adopt a location for the node in the peer-to-peer overlay network by establishing links based on the selected node identifier with a second set of nodes that are adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier while maintaining links based on a prior node identifier with the first set of nodes that are adjacent to the node before generation of the selected node identifier, wherein the first set of nodes is different from the second set of nodes, wherein the links between the node and the first set of nodes after generation of the selected node identifier comprise chords that form direct paths across the peer-to-peer overlay network, and wherein at least one of the first set of nodes is not adjacent to the node after generation of the selected node identifier.