Patent ID: 7162634

Claim:
A method for creating a secure powerline modem network, comprising the steps of: transmitting a private key individually to each of the plurality of powerline modem devices to be secured in a network such that each powerline modem device receives the private key in isolation of the network by connecting each of the plurality of the powerline modem devices to a portable security device which transmits the private key directly to the powerline modem device in isolation from other powerline modem devices, each of the plurality of powerline modem devices store the private key; computing a public key, by a master device in the network to be secured; transmitting the public key from the master device to the plurality of devices; computing a shared key at each of the plurality of powerline devices based on the public key and the private key; computing the shared key includes the step of computing the shared key according to the following formula: Y=(g x ) y mod n, where Y is the shared key, g and n are numbers resident at each powerline modem device, x is the number generated at the master device and y is the private key; and communicating within the secured network by employing messages encrypted based on the shared key.