A method and circuit for implementing electronic chip identification (ECID) exchange for network security in an interconnect system, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. Each interconnect chip includes an ECID for the interconnect chip, each ECID is unique and is permanently stored on each interconnect chip. Each interconnect chip sends predefined exchange identification (EXID) messages including the ECID across links to other interconnect chips in the interconnect system. Each interconnect chip compares a received EXID with a system list for the interconnect system to verify validity of the sending interconnect chip.