One embodiment provides a system that indicates conditions associated with received content. During operation, the system generates, by a first computing device, an interest message which includes a name, wherein the interest message further includes a verification token which is a hash of a nonce. In response to transmitting the interest message to a second computing device, the system receives a content object message which includes a same name as the name for the interest message. In response to detecting a condition associated with the content object message, the system generates a content object return message which includes the nonce and a same name as the name for the content object message. The system forwards the content object return message to the second computing device, thereby facilitating the second computing device to process the content object return message.