Patent ID: 7930542

Claim:
A method for mutual authentication and key exchange between three entities, the method comprising: configuring a processor to perform the steps of: (a) the first entity sending the SSL Client-Hello handshake message including at least a first random number R 1 to the third entity, via a second entity, wherein the first entity has authenticated the second entity; (b) the third entity replying with the SSL Server-Hello handshake message including at least a second random number R 2 to the first entity, via the second entity, wherein the third entity has authenticated the second entity; (c) the first entity replying with the SSL Client-Key-Exchange handshake message including at least a third random number R 3 to the third entity, via the second entity, wherein the first entity has authenticated the second entity; (d) the third entity replying with the SSL Server-Finished handshake message to the first entity, via the second entity being authenticated before; (e) the first entity and the third entity use the information in the handshake messages to derive said master-secret according to the SSL protocol, where said master-secret is not known to the second entity and can be used by the first and the third entities to authenticate each other; and (f) the first entity and the third entity can communicate securely using the master-secret so derived from the random numbers R 1 , R 2 and R 3 , wherein said derived master secret can be subsequently reused for a different second entity between said first and said third entities.