Patent ID: 8356334

Claim:
A secure data switching node comprising: a. a plurality of communications ports; b. a switching database having a plurality of switching entries, each one of the plurality of switching entries specifying an association between one or more data network node identifiers and one or more respective communications ports; c. a plurality of switching entry protection flags, corresponding to the plurality of switching entries, each of the plurality of switching entry protection flags configured with a predetermined value that determines whether each of the switching entries is protected from update; and d. a controller executing a secure switching database update process, for at least one of the switching entries, wherein executing a secure switching database update process includes determining, from at least one of the switching entry protection flags, whether the at least one of the switching entries is protected from update and receiving a modification instruction including a change of at least one of the respective communications ports for at least one of the data network node identifiers, whereby an attempt by a hostile data network node to effect a modification of the at least one communication port of a protected switching entry is prevented when the protection flag is set, enabling the data switching node to operate securely concurrently in friendly and hostile data networking environments.