Patent ID: 6347338
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
In a connection-oriented communication network comprising a first firewall-protected subnetwork having a plurality of nodes and at least one other firewall-protected subnetwork having a plurality of nodes, the other firewall-protected subnetwork including a second firewall security node for coupling the nodes in the other firewall-protected subnetwork to the first firewall-protected subnetwork, the first firewall-protected subnetwork comprising:a first firewall security node for coupling the nodes in the first firewall-protected subnetwork to the other firewall-protected subnetwork, wherein the first firewall security node includes a shared list setting forth a plurality of listed nodes and access privileges for each of the listed nodes, the shared list being an identical list shared by the first and second firewall security nodes and being used by each of the firewall security nodes to filter transmissions to and from the other firewall-protected subnetworks of the network in accordance with the access privileges set forth in the shared list so as to protect the first firewall-protected subnetwork, and at least one node in the first firewall-protected subnetwork instructs the first firewall security node to provide that the shared list residing at the first firewall security node filter all transmissions to the one node and permit only a set of allowable types of transmissions specified by the one node.