Controlling the spread of interests and content in a content centric network

• US 10,104,041 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jacobson, Van L., Smetters, Diana K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Traore, Fatoumata
• Application Number:
  US15/261,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20160380970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/173 using an interconnection network, e.g. matrix, shuffle, pyramid, star, snowflake
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/08 Learning-based routing, e.g. using neural networks or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/006 involving public key infrastructure [PKI] trust models network architecture or network communication protocol for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/30 Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for controlling the spread of interests and content in a content centric network (CCN). During operation, the system maintains a routing policy for content data. The system also receives a packet associated with a piece of content or an interest for the content. Next, the system determines that the structured name included in the packet is within the namespace specified in the routing policy. The system further determines that the packet satisfies the condition in the routing policy. Subsequently, the system routes the packet based on in part the action corresponding to the condition as specified in the routing policy.

Claims

1. A computer-executed method for controlling the spread of interests and content in a content centric network, comprising:

receiving a packet including a piece of content or an interest for the content, wherein the packet further includes a hierarchically structured name of the content;

identifying, using a longest-matching lookup of the hierarchically structured name of the content, a routing policy applicable to a longest matching prefix of the hierarchically structured name, wherein the routing policy specifies a condition associated with an originating entity or a destination entity of the packet, and a forwarding action corresponding to the condition;

in response to determining that the prefix matches the hierarchically structured name of the content and that the originating entity or the destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition in the routing policy, forwarding the packet according to the forwarding action specified in the routing policy;

in response to determining that the originating entity or the destination entity of the packet does not satisfy the condition in the routing policy, forwarding the packet according to a default forwarding action; and

defeating a denial-of-service attack against a policy enforcement system by greylisting a public key held by a signer of the content so that automatic retrieval of the public key is deferred.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the forwarding action comprises one or more of:

dropping content packets, thereby preventing creation of content with a certain name;

dropping interest packets, thereby preventing interests from circulating;

forwarding the packet to another node;

copying or redirecting the packet; and

deferring action on the packet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition comprises matching an identity of the signer of the content by using a credential held by the signer of the content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition comprises matching an identity of a node generating the interest by using the public key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition comprises matching a publisher of the content or a consumer of the content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition comprises matching one or more of:

a network interface on which the packet arrived; and

a network address indicating where the packet is originated or destined.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising stochastically verifying the routing policy by router nodes, thus enabling an overall expected level of policy compliance and verification.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising propagating the routing policy to an upstream node, whereby the upstream node can optionally enforce the routing policy and filter content.

9. An apparatus for controlling the spread of interests and content in a content centric network, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive a packet including a piece of content or an interest for the content, wherein the packet further includes a hierarchically structured name of the content;

identify, using a longest-matching lookup of the hierarchically structured name of the content, a routing policy applicable to a longest matching prefix of the hierarchically structured name, wherein the routing policy specifies a condition associated with an originating entity or a destination entity of the packet, and a forwarding action corresponding to the condition;

in response to determining that the prefix matches the hierarchically structured name of the content and that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition in the routing policy, forward the packet according to the forwarding action specified in the routing policy;

in response to determining that the originating entity or the destination entity of the packet does not satisfy the condition in the routing policy, forward the packet according to a default forwarding action; and

defeat a denial-of-service attack against a policy enforcement system by greylisting a public key held by a signer of the content so that automatic retrieval of the public key is deferred.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein while forwarding the packet, the processor is configured to perform one or more of the following operations:

dropping content packets, thereby preventing creation of content with a certain name;

dropping interest packets, thereby preventing interests from circulating;

forwarding the packet to another node;

copying or redirect the packet; and

deferring action on the packet.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein while determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition, the processor is configured to match an identity of the signer of the content by using a credential held by the signer of the content.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein while determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition, the processor is configured to match an identity of a node generating the interest by using the public key.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein while determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition, the processor is configured to match a publisher of the content or a consumer of the content.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein while determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition, the processor is configured to match one or more of:

a network interface on which the packet arrived; and

a network address indicating where the packet is originated or destined.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein while determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition, the processor is configured to verify stochastically the routing policy by router nodes, thus enabling an overall expected level of policy compliance and verification.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to propagate the routing policy to an upstream node, whereby the upstream node can optionally enforce the routing policy and filter content.

17. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for controlling the spread of interests and content in a content centric network, the method comprising:

receiving a packet including a piece of content or an interest for the content, wherein the packet further includes a hierarchically structured name of the content;

identifying, using a longest-matching lookup of the hierarchically structured name of the content, a routing policy applicable to a longest matching prefix of the hierarchically structured name, wherein the routing policy specifies a condition associated with an originating entity or a destination entity of the packet, and a forwarding action corresponding to the condition;

in response to determining that the prefix matches the hierarchically structured name of the content and that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition in the routing policy, forwarding the packet according to the forwarding action specified in the routing policy;

in response to determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet does not satisfy the condition in the routing policy, forwarding the packet according to a default forwarding action; and

defeating a denial-of-service attack against a policy enforcement system by greylisting a public key held by a signer of the content so that automatic retrieval of the public key is deferred.

18. The storage device of claim 17, wherein routing the packet comprises one or more of:

dropping content packets, thereby preventing creation of content with a certain name;

dropping interest packets, thereby preventing interests from circulating;

forwarding the packet to another node;

copying or redirecting the packet; and

deferring action on the packet.

19. The storage device of claim 17, wherein determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition comprises matching an identity of the signer of the content by using a credential held by the signer of the content.

20. The storage device of claim 17, wherein determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition comprises matching an identity of a node generating the interest by using the public key.

21. The storage device of claim 17, wherein determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition comprises matching a publisher of the content or a consumer of the content.

22. The storage device of claim 17, wherein determining that the originating entity or destination entity of the packet satisfies the condition comprises matching one or more of:

a network interface on which the packet arrived; and

a network address indicating where the packet is originated or destined.

23. The storage device of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises stochastically verifying the routing policy by router nodes, thus enabling an overall expected level of policy compliance and verification.

24. The storage device of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises propagating the routing policy to an upstream node, whereby the upstream node can optionally enforce the routing policy and filter content.