Extensible system for authenticated and protected key agreement in large mesh layer 2 ethernet networks
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsMichelle D. Coyle, Steven C. Gerhold
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Abstract
A large-scale Ethernet mesh network is provided, which includes a group connectivity association (CA) including at least thirty-one authenticated supplicant nodes. An authenticator module authenticates each of the authenticated supplicant nodes, and distributes a shared group encryption key to each of the authenticated supplicant nodes. Each of the authenticated supplicant nodes encrypt data using the shared group encryption key, and exchange the encrypted data with any other remaining authenticated supplicant node.
Claims20
A large-scale Ethernet mesh network comprising:
- a group connectivity association (CA) including at least thirty-one authenticated supplicant nodes;
- an authenticator module configured to authenticate each of the authenticated supplicant nodes, and to distribute a shared group encryption key to each of the authenticated supplicant nodes,
- wherein each of the authenticated supplicant nodes is configured to encrypt data using the shared group encryption key, and to exchange the encrypted data with any other remaining authenticated supplicant node.
A method of exchanging secured data in a large-scale Ethernet mesh network, the method comprising:
- authenticating, via an authenticator module, at least thirty-one supplicant nodes to establish a group connectivity association (CA);
- distributing, via the authenticator module, a shared group encryption key to each of the authenticated supplicant nodes;
- encrypting data, via at least one sending supplicant node included among the authenticated nodes, using the shared group encryption key;
- and
- exchanging the encrypted data from the at least one sending supplicant node to at least one receiving supplicant node included among the authenticated nodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.