Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implement techniques of processing data packets in a computer network. The computer network includes a multiport network device and a computer executing a software application. The multiport network device is configured to receive data packets to be transmitted using the computer network and the network device stores one or more authorized network descriptors. The software application generates data packets to be transmitted to the computer network through the network device. The software application registers the network rights descriptor with the network device and inserts the network rights descriptor in each generated data packet. The network device is configured to discard the data packet if the network rights descriptor in the data packet does not match an authorized network rights descriptor and to process the data packet if the network rights descriptor in the data packet matches an authorized network rights descriptor.