Patent ID: 6976176

Claim:
A system for securing communications comprising: an initiating device operable to transmit to a communication server a first request for security of first communications with a first destination device, the initiating device further operable to transmit to the communication server a second request for security of second communications with a second destination device; the communication server operable to couple to the initiating device and the first destination device, to receive the first request, to select a first algorithm for securing the first communications, to transmit to the initiating device first information identifying the first algorithm, to determine that the first destination device supports encryption of the first communications, and to transmit to the first destination device the first information in response to determining that the first destination device supports encryption of the first communications, the communication server further operable to couple to the second destination device, to receive the second request, to select a second algorithm for securing the second communications, to transmit to the initiating device information identifying the second algorithm, to determine that the second destination device does not support encryption of the second communications, to establish an encrypted link with the initiating device in response to determining that the second destination device does not support encryption of the second communications, and to establish an unencrypted link with the second destination device in response to determining that the second destination device does not support encryption of the second communications; the first destination device operable to receive the first information, to encrypt a first message for communication to the initiating device using the first algorithm, and to decrypt a second message received by the first destination device using the first algorithm; and the second destination device operable to transmit a third message to the initiating device through the communication server and to receive a forth message from the initiating device through the communication server.