Patent ID: 8239549
Filing Date: 2012-08-07
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method at a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) client, comprising: sending a DHCP request message comprising at least a first freshness indicator comprising a first nonce to a DHCP server, the DHCP server certified by a certification authority of a communications network, wherein the first nonce is generated by the DHCP client, wherein the sent DHCP request message comprises a DHCPDISCOVER message comprising the first nonce; receiving, at least in response to the sending, a signed DHCP response message from the DHCP server of the communications network, the signed message comprising at least a second freshness indicator comprising a second nonce, a signature, and a public key issued by the certification authority; validating that the received second freshness indicator matches the sent first freshness indicator; checking that the signed message comprises a same nonce value as the DHCPDISCOVER message; verifying the signature of the signed message using the public key issued by the certification authority; and when the validation and the verification processes are successful, accessing stored settings for use with the network, wherein the stored network settings have been stored using information from another DHCP server different from the DHCP server, the other DHCP server having been certified and bound into one logical network location with the DHCP server by the certification authority, and that access being made on the basis of information at least about the public key issued by the certification authority.