Patent ID: 7930543

Claim:
In a telecommunications network having at least first and second nodes in communication with each other, a method of making secure at least one communication between the at least first and second nodes during a communication session, comprising the steps of: assigning to each node an identifier unique to each node within the network; assigning to each node a device key unique to each node within the network; assigning to the network a network key; establishing a communication session between the at least first and second nodes; providing the network key to at least the second node; providing the second node's identifier to the first node; providing to the first node the second node's device key in a manner not subject to unauthorized discovery; preparing a first communication comprising the first node's identifier and the second node's identifier; securing the first communication with the second node's device key; transmitting the first communication to the second node; decrypting at the second node the first communication using the second node's device key; providing the first node with the network key subject to verification that the second node's device key was used to secure the first communication; and securing a second communication among the at least first and second nodes using the network key.