Patent ID: 7302704

Claim:
A communications router for use in a communications network including a plurality of routers controlled by one or more trusted parties and at least one network control computer communicating with said communications router, said communications router comprising: a transceiver to transmit and receive messages; an electronic memory circuit having network information stored therein; and an electronic processor circuit in communication with the electronic memory circuit and transceiver which (i) evaluates an excising signal received by the transceiver from the network control computer, the excising signal indicating that the network control computer has determined that an untrusted party has gained control of a first functioning router of the plurality of routers and is to be excised from the network; (ii) determines an authenticity of the excising signal; (iii) excises the first router when the excising signal is authenticated; and (iv) reroutes the excising signal to at least a second router of the plurality of routers when the excising signal is authenticated.