Patent ID: 6851053

Claim:
A method for accepting a new node to join a secured conference controlled by a top provider, comprising: transmitting, by the new node to a first node, a request to join the conference and a certificate specifying an identity of the new node, said first node being connected to the top provider and participating in the conference, said new node being not directly connected to the top provider for transport-layer authentication; authenticating, by the first node, the new node on a transport level; forming, by the first node, a secured link with the new node if the new node is successfully authenticated on the transport level; transmitting, by the first node on an application level, the request and certification of the new node to an application layer of the top provider over a secured link formed between the top provider and the first node; verifying, by the top provider on an application level, the identity of the new node based on the certificate of the new node; and informing, by the top provider, a second node connected to the top provider and already participating in the conference that the new node is to join the conference, and making the certificate of the new node available to the second node.