Patent ID: 7607006

Claim:
A method for asymmetric message security, the method comprising: receiving a first message at a second node, the first message received from a first node, the first message secured at a first security level, the first security level actively selected from a plurality of available security levels, the first security level selected in accordance with a sensitivity level of the first message, wherein the first node and the second node comprise a central processing unit and an electronic storage device; processing the first message according to the first security level to make the first message usable by the second node; selecting a second security level for a second message, the second security level is a different security level than the first security level, the second security level selected from the plurality of available security levels, the second security level selected in accordance with a sensitivity level of the second message, wherein the first security level and the second security level are selected to minimize use of security resources; applying the selected second security level to the second message; transmitting the second message at the second security level to the first node in response to receiving the first message, the first message and the second message together communicated within a single communication session; and communicating the second security level to the first node.