Mary E Trengove

US Patent:

20080085004, Apr 10, 2008

Filed:

Jan 23, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/625993

Inventors:

Paul T. Kitaj - Gilbert AZ, US
Mary E. Trengove - Phoenix AZ, US
Douglas A. Hardy - Scottsdale AZ, US

Assignee:

GENERAL DYNAMICS C4 SYSTEMS, INC. - Scottsdale AZ

International Classification:

H04L 9/00

US Classification:

380281

Abstract:

A communication network () includes a central node () loaded with a trusted key () and key material () corresponding to an asymmetric key agreement protocol (). The network () further includes vulnerable nodes () loaded with key material () corresponding to the protocol (). Successive secure connections () are established between the central node () and the vulnerable nodes () using the key material () to generate a distinct session key () for each of the secure connections (). The trusted key () and one of the session keys () are utilized to produce a mission key (). The mission key () is transferred from the central node () to each of the vulnerable nodes () via each of the secure connections () using the corresponding current session key (). The mission key () functions for secure communication within the communication network ().