Patent ID: 7940933

Claim:
In a telecommunications network having at least first and second nodes in communication with each other, a method of making secure at least one communication between the at least first and second nodes during a communication session, comprising the steps of: assigning to each node a device key unique to each node within the network; assigning to the network a network key; establishing a communication session between the at least first and second nodes; providing the first node with an arbitrary number; providing to the first node the second node's device key in a manner not subject to unauthorized discovery; securing a first communication with the second node's device key and the arbitrary number; transmitting the first communication to the second node; decrypting at the second node the first communication using the second node's device key and the arbitrary number; upon verifying at the second node that the first communication was secured with the second node's device key and the arbitrary number, providing the first node with the network key; and securing a second communication among the at least first and second nodes using the network key.