Patent ID: 8868913

Claim:
A method, comprising: generating, by a network device, a host key and a private key upon the network device being powered up; initiating, by the network device, a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection to establish a TCP session with a management device after generating the host key and the private key; performing, via the TCP session, a secure protocol client/server role reversal for the management device; receiving, by the network device and from the management device, information indicating initiation of a secure connection over the TCP session in accordance with a secure protocol, the secure connection being initiated for a first time between the network device and the management device; generating, by the network device, a certificate signing request (CSR) based on the initiation of the secure connection, the host key being embedded in the CSR; signing, by a cryptographic processor of the network device and with the private key, the CSR to obtain a trusted certificate, the private key being provided to the cryptographic processor for storing prior to signing the CSR with the private key; providing, by the network device and to the management device, the trusted certificate; and establishing, by the network device, the secure connection with the management device based on an authentication of the host key by the management device via the trusted certificate.