Method of automatically populating a list of managed secure communications group members

A method to automatically associate a mobile communication device having a device identifier with a secure group established to provide security information between subscribers of the secure group, the method comprising:

• receiving identification information of the secure group at a key variable loader;
• providing a group identifier for the secure group at the key variable loader;
• setting a first key for the secure group at the key variable loader, the first key corresponding to an encryption algorithm;
• automatically downloading the device identifier of the mobile communication device to the key variable loader from the communication device over a short range connection connecting the communication device and the key variable loader;
• and
• after downloading the device identifier, uploading the group identifier and the first key for the secure group to the communication device via the short range connection, and automatically associating the downloaded device identifier with the secure group at the key variable loader.