A gateway apparatus supporting differentiated secure communications among heterogeneous electronic devices , the gateway apparatus comprising: a first communication port configured to communicate via an associated first communication network of a first network type with a first associated device having a first secure communication capability and having unidirectional communication capability, the first communication port further being configured to communicate via an associated second communication network of a second network type different than the first network type with a second associated device having a second secure communication capability different than the first secure communication capability and having bidirectional communication capability; and gateway logic operatively coupled with the first communication port ; wherein the gateway logic selectively authenticates the first associated device for group membership into a first Secure Communication Group, SCG according to a first authentication capability by a unidirectional communication from the first associated device ; wherein the gateway logic selectively authenticates the second associated device for group membership into the first SCG according to a second authentication capability by a bidirectional communication with the second associated device ; wherein the gateway logic selectively communicates Secure Communication Group Keys, SCGKs, to the second associated device having the second secure communication capability for generating session keys by the second associated device for mutual secure communication in accordance with the group membership of the first and second associated devices in the first SCG, wherein: the gateway logic selectively distributes to the second associated device key data received from the first associated device as session keys of the first associated device for use by the second associated device together with session keys of the second associated device to establish secure communication with the first associated device . a first communication port configured to communicate via an associated first communication network of a first network type with a first associated device having a first secure communication capability and having unidirectional communication capability, the first communication port further being configured to communicate via an associated second communication network of a second network type different than the first network type with a second associated device having a second secure communication capability different than the first secure communication capability and having bidirectional communication capability; and gateway logic operatively coupled with the first communication port ; wherein the gateway logic selectively authenticates the first associated device for group membership into a first Secure Communication Group, SCG according to a first authentication capability by a unidirectional communication from the first associated device ; wherein the gateway logic selectively authenticates the second associated device for group membership into the first SCG according to a second authentication capability by a bidirectional communication with the second associated device ; wherein the gateway logic selectively communicates Secure Communication Group Keys, SCGKs, to the second associated device having the second secure communication capability for generating session keys by the second associated device for mutual secure communication in accordance with the group membership of the first and second associated devices in the first SCG, wherein: the gateway logic selectively distributes to the second associated device key data received from the first associated device as session keys of the first associated device for use by the second associated device together with session keys of the second associated device to establish secure communication with the first associated device . <EOS>