1. A method for authenticating devices within a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method comprises: generating, by a first device of the devices, a DSN authentication request frame that includes authenticating data and an authenticating code, wherein the authenticating code references a valid authenticating process; transmitting, by the first device, the DSN authentication request frame to a second device of the devices; determining, by the second device, whether the second device includes the valid authentication process referenced by the authentication code; when the second device includes the valid authentication process, processing, by the second device, the authenticating data in accordance with the valid authentication process to produce processed authenticating data; generating, by the second device, a DSN authentication response frame that includes the processed authenticating data; and transmitting, by the second device, the DSN authentication response frame to the first device.