SECURE TRANSPORT OF MULTICAST TRAFFIC

• US 20090292917A1
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Lebovitz, Gregory M., Liu, Changming, Shieh, Choung-Yaw
• Granted Patent: US 8,132,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/160
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

Secure tunneled multicast transmission and reception through a network is provided. A join request may be received from a second tunnel endpoint, the join request indicating a multicast group to be joined. Group keys may be transmitted to the second tunnel endpoint, where the group keys are based at least on the multicast group. A packet received at the first tunnel endpoint may be cryptographically processed to generate an encapsulated payload. A header may be appended to the encapsulated payload to form an encapsulated packet, wherein the header includes information associated with the second tunnel endpoint. A tunnel may be established between the first tunnel endpoint and the second tunnel endpoint based on the appended header. The encapsulated packet may be transmitted through the tunnel to the second tunnel endpoint. The second tunnel endpoint may receive the encapsulated packet. Cryptographic processing of the encapsulated packet may reveal the packet having a second header. The packet may then be forwarded on an interface toward at least one multicast recipient identified in the second header.

Claims

1. A method of providing secure multicast transmission through a network, comprising:

receiving a first join request from a first downstream router, the join request indicating a multicast group to be joined;

transmitting group keys to the first downstream router, wherein the group keys are based on at least the multicast group;

cryptographically processing a first packet using the group keys to generate an encapsulated payload;

appending a first header to the encapsulated payload to form a first encapsulated packet;

establishing a tunnel with the first downstream router based on the appended first header; and

transmitting the first encapsulated packet through the tunnel to the first downstream router.

2-30. -30. (canceled)