PERIMETER-BASED DEFENSE AGAINST DATA FLOODING IN A DATA COMMUNICATION NETWORK

A device for mitigating data flooding in a data communication network. The device can include a first module and a second module. The first module can identify flooding data transmitted from at least one offending host and intended for at least one threatened host. The second module can generate a data rate limit that is communicated to at least one of the plurality of edge nodes defining an entry node. The data rate limit can be based upon an observed rate of transmission of flooding data transmitted from the offending host to the entry node and a desired rate of transmission of flooding data transmitted to the threatened host from at least one other of the plurality of edge nodes defining an exit node.