Patent ID: 7908480

Claim:
A method for authenticating an endpoint in a network, comprising: facilitating communication of a plurality of packets between a first endpoint and a second endpoint over the network; sending a challenge request to the second endpoint, the challenge request attempting to authenticate the second endpoint, the challenge request comprising an identification that includes a real-time transport protocol synchronization source (RTP SSRC) of a previously sent packet of the plurality of packets, a challenge type, and a sequence number; receiving a response from the second endpoint to the challenge request, the response comprising an actual response identification; and verifying, by a processor, the received response to establish whether the second endpoint is legitimate, the second endpoint being legitimate if the actual response identification comprises an expected response identification, wherein the expected response identification comprises the sequence number and the RTP SSRC linked to a username associated with the second endpoint, wherein the communication of the plurality of packets between the first and second endpoints continues during authentication of the second endpoint.