Patent ID: 7987290

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving, by a first node of a distributed mesh, a DRT flood message from a second node of the distributed mesh, wherein the first node stores a local portion of a Distributed Routing Table (DRT), the DRT being distributed across the mesh for determining addresses of individual nodes of the mesh, wherein the DRT is configured to implement a set of one or more DRT security modes allowing the DRT to be configured with one or more security settings for the mesh; storing a security identification (ID) for the first node, the security ID for the first node having a first issuer; determining a security identification (ID) for the second node, the security ID for the second node having a second issuer; comparing the second issuer of the security ID for the second node with the first issuer of the security ID for the first node; when the second issuer matches the first issuer: authenticating the DRT flood message; and updating the local portion of the DRT stored on the first node with a key or IP address included in the DRT flood message received from the second node; and when the second issuer does not match the first issuer, failing the DRT flood message.