Systems and methods for protecting an identity in network communications

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method includes sending a first data unit, received from a source device, to a destination device via a first data unit path. The first data unit path includes (1) a first virtual machine and a second virtual machine that are included in a first network, and (2) a third virtual machine that is included in a second network. Furthermore, the first data unit path includes the first virtual machine, the second virtual machine, and the third virtual machine in a first order. The method includes sending a second data unit, received from the source device, to the destination device via a second data unit path from the source device to the destination device. The second data unit path includes each of the first virtual machine, the second virtual machine, and the third virtual machine in a second order different from the first order.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a network layout module configured to be operatively coupled to (1) a first network that includes a first virtual machine and a second virtual machine, and that is configured to be operatively coupled to a source device and a destination device; and (2) a second network, different from the first network, that includes a third virtual machine and a fourth virtual machine, and that is configured to be operatively coupled to the source device and the destination device,   the network layout module configured to define, at a first time, a first data unit path from the source device to the destination device, the first data unit path including each of the first virtual machine, the second virtual machine, the third virtual machine and the fourth virtual machine,   the network layout module configured define, at a second time after the first time, and in response to an event, a second data unit path from the source device to the destination device, the second data unit path traversing the first network and the second network and differing from the first data unit path.