Authentication chaining by connected devices

A method for authenticating a plurality of slave devices connected to a master device, the method comprising:

• generating and sending, by the master device, a respective challenge to each slave device of the plurality of slave devices;
• in each slave device of the plurality of slave devices, generating a respective response to the respective challenge and transmitting the respective response to the master device;
• verifying, by the master device, the respective response of one of the slave devices;
• for each of the respective responses other than the respective response verified by the master device, returning, by the master device, the respective responses to respective slave devices distinct from those that generated the respective responses;
• and
• verifying, by each slave device, the respective response returned thereto by the master device and transmitting a result of the verification to the master device.