Abstract: Secret data is maintained as a plurality of secret shares distributed among a plurality of system nodes. When seeking to recover the secret data, a user node sends a request comprising a seed value to the system nodes. The user node receives, from each system node of at least a first subset of the plurality of nodes, a cryptographic hash value based on the seed value and information unique to the system node. The user node then generates an ordered listing of the first subset of the plurality of system nodes according to the corresponding plurality of cryptographic hash values. The user nodes selects a second subset of system nodes from the first subset based on the ordered listing. The user node then reconstructs the secret data based on the secret shares possessed by at least some of the second subset of the plurality of system nodes.

Abstract: Techniques concerning the communication of messages, and verification of connections, between communication units in a network of communication units are disclosed. An intermediate communication unit either routes messages to other communication units or further processes such messages based on whether it is able to successful interpret such messages based on at least one shared secret maintained by the intermediate communication unit. In this manner, initiating and target communication units can verify connections therebetween.