Determining if a correspondent device is trusted

1. An apparatus comprising:

an Internet Protocol (IP) interface;

a hardware processor;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores code executable by the processor to:

receive a request to communicate from a correspondent device;

establish secure communications with the correspondent device;

determine when the correspondent device is trusted;

in response to the correspondent device not being trusted, terminate communications with the correspondent device;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, determine an internal compression score for communications over an Internet Protocol (IP) interface;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, determine an IP connection bandwidth;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, receive a correspondent compression score for the correspondent device;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, calculate a compression level based on the internal compression score, the IP connection bandwidth, and the received correspondent compression score, wherein the compression level CL is calculated as CL=min(CB,k√{square root over (IC*CC)}), wherein CB is the IP connection bandwidth, IC is the internal compression score, CC is the correspondent compression score, and k is a non-zero constant; and

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, exchange unencrypted communications with the correspondent device over the IP interface using the compression level.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the correspondent device is determined to be trusted in response to recognizing an IP address of the correspondent device as a trusted IP address.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the correspondent device is determined to be trusted in response to recognizing a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the correspondent device as a trusted MAC address.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to establish a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection with the correspondent device and the correspondent device is determined to be trusted in response to establishing the VPN connection with the correspondent device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to negotiate a compression level for a VPN connection with the correspondent device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein negotiating the compression level comprises:

determining an internal compression score for communications over the IP interface;

determining an IP connection bandwidth;

receiving a correspondent compression score for the correspondent device from the correspondent device; and

calculating the compression level based on the internal compression score, the IP connection bandwidth, and the correspondent compression score.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the internal compression score IC is calculated as IC=PB*BL, where PB is a processor bandwidth rating and BL is a battery level.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a router and an Internet appliance.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, by use of a processor, a request to communicate from a correspondent device;

establishing secure communications with the correspondent device;

determining when the correspondent device is trusted;

in response to the correspondent device not being trusted, terminating communications with the correspondent device;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, determining an internal compression score for communications over an Internet Protocol (IP) interface;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, determining an IP connection bandwidth;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, receiving a correspondent compression score for the correspondent device;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, calculating a compression level based on the internal compression score, the IP connection bandwidth, and the received correspondent compression score, wherein the compression level CL is calculated as CL=min(CB,k√{square root over (IC*CC)}), wherein CB is the IP connection bandwidth, IC is the internal compression score, CC is the correspondent compression score, and k is a non-zero constant; and

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, exchanging unencrypted communications with the correspondent device using the compression level.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the correspondent device is determined to be trusted in response to recognizing an IP address of the correspondent device as a trusted IP address.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the correspondent device is determined to be trusted in response to recognizing a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the correspondent device as a trusted MAC address.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises establishing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection with the correspondent device and the correspondent device is determined to be trusted in response to establishing the VPN connection with the correspondent device.

13. A program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores code executable by a processor, the executable code comprising code to:

receive a request to communicate from a correspondent device;

establish secure communications with the correspondent device;

determine when a correspondent device is trusted;

in response to the correspondent device not being trusted, terminate communications with the correspondent device;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, determine an internal compression score for communications over an Internet Protocol (IP) interface;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, determine an IP connection bandwidth;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, receive a correspondent compression score for the correspondent device;

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, calculate a compression level based on the internal compression score, the IP connection bandwidth, and the received correspondent compression score, wherein the compression level CL is calculated as CL=min(CB,k√{square root over (IC*CC)}), wherein CB is the IP connection bandwidth, IC is the internal compression score, CC is the correspondent compression score, and k is a non-zero constant; and

in response to the correspondent device being trusted, exchange unencrypted communications with the correspondent device using the compression level.

14. The program product of claim 13 , wherein the correspondent device is determined to be trusted in response to recognizing an IP address of the correspondent device as a trusted IP address.

15. The program product of claim 13 , wherein the correspondent device is determined to be trusted in response to recognizing a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the correspondent device as a trusted MAC address.

16. The program product of claim 13 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to establish a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection with the correspondent device and the correspondent device is determined to be trusted in response to establishing the VPN connection with the correspondent device.