Interest forwarding for interactive client anonymity

Abstract

In one embodiment, an intermediate node in a communication network receives a client interest with an indication of a client-requested reverse private path. The reverse private path is a label switched path toward a corresponding client with encrypted client information. In response to receiving the client interest, the intermediate node allocates a label for the reverse private path. The allocated label is mapped to a node from which the client interest is received. The intermediate node then forwards the client interest with the allocated label toward a server. In another embodiment, the server receives a client interest including a client-requested reverse private path from a particular intermediate node and determines a server interest. The allocated label for the client interest is inserted into the server interest which is forwarded toward the client via the particular intermediate node using the allocated label for the reverse private path.