Network having multicast security and method therefore

摘要

A method for conducting encrypted communication in a network and a network having a plurality of nodes organized into a plurality of groups which initiates encrypted communication between a first one of the plurality of nodes of a first one of the plurality of groups and a second one of the plurality of nodes of the first one of the plurality of groups different from the first one of the plurality of groups using a group key and initiates encrypted communication between a third one of the plurality of nodes of the first one of the plurality of groups and a fourth one of the plurality of nodes of a second one of the plurality groups different from the first one of the plurality of groups using a session key.

主权项

1. A network, comprising:
a plurality of nodes each having a communication module configured to conduct encrypted communication with at least one other communication module; a plurality of groups, each of said plurality of groups comprising a plurality of said plurality of nodes and each node being a member of only one of said plurality of groups; wherein each individual node within a particular one of said plurality of groups conducts encrypted communication with another individual node within said particular one of said plurality of groups according to a group key regardless of connectivity between said plurality of groups; and wherein said network is configured to conduct communication between a node of said particular one of said plurality of groups and a node of another one of said plurality of groups utilizing a session key; wherein one of said plurality of nodes of said particular one of said plurality of groups is an intra-group mediator for said particular one of said plurality of groups and configured to initiate transmission of a group key unique to said particular one of said plurality of groups to each of said plurality of nodes of said particular one of said plurality of groups; wherein one of said plurality of nodes of each of said plurality of groups is an intra-group mediator, wherein one of said plurality of nodes is an inter-group mediator different than said intra-group mediator, and wherein said inter-group mediator is configured to communicate with each intra-group mediator of the plurality of groups; and wherein said session key expires and wherein said inter-group mediator is configured to initiate transmission of a replacement session key to a second intra-group mediator based, at least in part, on an expiration of said session key.