Patent ID: 7620186

Claim:
A method for establishing an encrypted communication by means of keys between a first electronic device associated with a first trusted authority and a second electronic device, the method comprising the steps of: generating by the first trusted authority a contribution to a first secret key associated with the first device for the management of said communication and storing the first secret key in a memory in the first device; generating by a contribution from a second trusted authority and at least in part by a contribution from said first trusted authority, a second secret key associated with the second device for the management of said communication, and storing the second secret key in a memory in the second device, wherein the step of generation of the first key is performed at least in part by a contribution from the second trusted authority separate and autonomous in relation to said first trusted authority, said second trusted authority associated with the second device for the management of said communication, and wherein the first secret key and the second secret key are kept secret from the second trusted authority and the first trusted authority, respectively, such that neither the first trusted authority nor the second trusted authority knows either of the first and second secret keys in full.