System and method for secure communication for cashless transactions

A computer-implemented method in an access point facilitating client to point-of sale communication over a data network secured with mutual authentication during client association, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the access point, authentication credentials from a point-of-sale device;
• periodically broadcasting, by the access point, at least one beacon message to advertise payment services of the point-of-sale device, wherein the at least one beacon message comprises information elements including transaction type, a payment network, and merchant information;
• receiving, by the access point, a probe request from a client based on the payment services advertised in the at least one beacon message;
• sending, by the access point, a probe response to the client responsive to the probe request;
• performing, by the access point, an authentication operation to authenticate a connection with the client;
• performing, by the access point, an association operation with mutual authentication to create an association with the client, wherein the association operation comprises:
• receiving a client challenge from the client with an association request, and sending the client challenge to the point-of-sale device on behalf of the client,
• receiving a response from the point-of-sale device to the client challenge with a point-of-sale challenge, and sending the client challenge response and the point-of-sale challenge to the client with an association response on behalf of the point-of-sale device, and
• receiving an acknowledgment from the client of the association response with a response to the point-of-sale challenge, and sending the point-of-sale challenge response to the point-of-sale device on behalf of the client;
• assigning, by the access point, at least one dynamic IP address to the client;
• and
• establishing, by the access point, an https session between the client and the point-of-sale device over the data network.