Pointer mechanisms for communicating authentication and key management (AKM) and ciphers

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a first electronic device and from a second electronic device, a first enhanced security selector suite information element (IE) comprising a first set of pointers indicating a first set of security suites;
• transmitting, to the second electronic device, a second enhanced security selector suite IE comprising a second set of pointers, selected from the first set of pointers, indicating a second set of security suites;
• receiving, from the second electronic device, a response indicating that the second electronic device confirms the second set of security suites;
• and
• using the second set of security suites for communicating with the second electronic device.

An electronic device, comprising:

• a transceiver configured to communicate over a wireless network;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
• transmit, using the transceiver and to a second electronic device, a first enhanced security selector suite information element (IE) comprising a first set of pointers indicating a first set of security suites;
• receive, using the transceiver and from the second electronic device, a second enhanced security selector suite IE comprising a second set of pointers indicating a second set of security suites selected from the first set of security suites indicated by the second electronic device in the first enhanced security selector suite;
• transmit, using the transceiver and to the second electronic device, a response confirming the second set of security suites;
• and
• use the second set of security suites for communicating with the second electronic device.