Secure Router Authentication

Abstract

A network router may send a self-authenticating message to a plurality of host devices. The self-authenticating message may comprise a router advertisement message and a hash of at least a portion of the router advertisement message. The hash may allow the host devices to authenticate the network router for communications.

1 . A method comprising: 
 generating, by a network router, a router advertisement message;   hashing, by the network router and using a secret value of the network router, at least a portion of the router advertisement message;   sending, to a plurality of host devices, a self-authenticating message comprising: 
 the router advertisement message; and 
 the hashed at least a portion of the router advertisement message; and communicating with the plurality of host devices after the host devices authenticate the self-authenticating message. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hashing comprises encryption. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hashing comprises hashing a maximum transmission unit value of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the self-authenticating message comprises a code indicating that the self-authenticating message comprises a hash of the at least the portion of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the self-authenticated message is generated without previously receiving information from the host devices. 
     
     
         6 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a host device and from a network router, a self-authenticating message, wherein the self-authenticating message: 
 was sent to a plurality of host devices; 
 comprises a router advertisement message; and comprises a first hash value; 
   generating a second hash value based on at least a portion of the router advertisement message; and   based on comparing the first hash value and the second hash value: 
 authenticating the network router; and 
 communicating with the network router. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein generating the second hash value comprises encryption. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the generating the second hash value comprises hashing a maximum transmission unit value of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the self-authenticating message comprises a code indicating that the self-authenticating message comprises a hash of the at least the portion of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the self-authenticating message is received from the network router without the host device previously sending information to the network router. 
     
     
         11 . One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
 generating, by a network router, a router advertisement message;   hashing, by the network router and using a secret value of the network router, at least a portion of the router advertisement message;   sending, to a plurality of host devices, a self-authenticating message comprising: 
 the router advertisement message; and the hashed at least a portion of the router advertisement message; and communicating with the plurality of host devices after the host devices authenticate the self-authenticating message. 
   
     
     
         12 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the hashing by causing encryption. 
     
     
         13 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the hashing by causing hashing of a maximum transmission unit value of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         14 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the self-authenticating message comprises a code indicating that the self-authenticating message comprises a hash of the at least the portion of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         15 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the network router to generate the self-authenticated message without previously receiving information from the host devices. 
     
     
         16 . One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
 receiving, by a host device and from a network router, a self-authenticating message, wherein the self-authenticating message: 
 was sent to a plurality of host devices; 
 comprises a router advertisement message; and 
 comprises a first hash value; generating a second hash value based on at least a portion of the router advertisement message; and 
 based on comparing the first hash value and the second hash value: 
 authenticating the network router; and 
 communicating with the network router. 
   
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the generating the second hash value by causing encryption. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the generating the second hash value by causing hashing of a maximum transmission unit value of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 16 , wherein the self-authenticating message comprises a code indicating that the self-authenticating message comprises a hash of the at least the portion of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the host device to receive the self-authenticating message from the network router without the host device previously sending information to the network router. 
     
     
         21 . A network router comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the network router to: 
 generate a router advertisement message; 
 hash, using a secret value of the network router, at least a portion of the router advertisement message; 
 send, to a plurality of host devices, a self-authenticating message comprising: 
 the router advertisement message; and 
 the hashed at least a portion of the router advertisement message; and communicate with the plurality of host devices after the host devices authenticate the self-authenticating message. 
 
   
     
     
         22 . The network router of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the network router to hash the at least a portion of the router advertisement message by encryption. 
     
     
         23 . The network router of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the network router to hash the at least a portion of the router advertisement message by hashing of a maximum transmission unit value of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         24 . The network router of  claim 21 , wherein the self-authenticating message comprises a code indicating that the self-authenticating message comprises a hash of the at least the portion of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         25 . The network router of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the network router to generate the self-authenticated message without previously receiving information from the host devices. 
     
     
         26 . A host device comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the host device to: 
 receive, from a network router, a self-authenticating message, wherein the self-authenticating message: 
 was sent to a plurality of host devices; 
 comprises a router advertisement message; and 
 comprises a first hash value; generate a second hash value based on at least a portion of the router advertisement message; and based on comparing the first hash value and the second hash value: 
 authenticate the network router; and 
 communicate with the network router. 
 
   
     
     
         27 . The host device of  claim 26 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the host device to generate the second hash value by encryption. 
     
     
         28 . The host device of  claim 26 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the host device to generate the second hash value by hashing a maximum transmission unit value of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         29 . The host device of  claim 26 , wherein the self-authenticating message comprises a code indicating that the self-authenticating message comprises a hash of the at least the portion of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         30 . The host device of  claim 26 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the host device to receive the self-authenticating message from the network router without the host device previously sending information to the network router. 
     
     
         31 . A system comprising:
 a host device and a network router,   wherein the network router is configured to: 
 generate a router advertisement message; 
 hash, using a secret value of the network router, at least a portion of the router advertisement message; 
 send, to a plurality of host devices, a self-authenticating message comprising: 
 the router advertisement message; and 
 the hashed at least a portion of the router advertisement message; and 
 
 communicate with the plurality of host devices after the host devices authenticate the self-authenticating message, and wherein the host device is configured to receive the self-authenticating message. 
   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the network router is configured to hash the at least a portion of the router advertisement message by encryption. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the network router is configured to hash the at least a portion of the router advertisement message by hashing of a maximum transmission unit value of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the self-authenticating message comprises a code indicating that the self-authenticating message comprises a hash of the at least the portion of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the network router is configured to generate the self-authenticated message without previously receiving information from the host devices. 
     
     
         36 . A system comprising:
 a host device and a network router, 
 wherein the host device is configured to: 
 receive, from the network router, a self-authenticating message, wherein the self-authenticating message: 
 was sent to a plurality of host devices; 
 comprises a router advertisement message; and 
 comprises a first hash value; 
 
 
 generate a second hash value based on at least a portion of the router advertisement message; and 
 based on comparing the first hash value and the second hash value: 
 authenticate the network router; and 
 communicate with the network router, and 
 
   wherein the network router is configured to send the self-authenticating message to the host device.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the host device is configured to generate the second hash value by encryption. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the host device is configured to generate the second hash value by hashing a maximum transmission unit value of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the self-authenticating message comprises a code indicating that the self-authenticating message comprises a hash of the at least the portion of the router advertisement message. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the host device is configured to receive the self-authenticating message from the network router without the host device previously sending information to the network router.