Distribution of group cryptography material in a mobile IP environment

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions, comprising:

• instructions for obtaining a Mobile IP registration request received from a group member, the group member being a Mobile Node;
• instructions for generating a mobility binding for the group member that associates the group member with a care-of address, wherein the group member is a member of one or more groups;
• instructions for generating a Mobile IP registration reply, the Mobile IP registration reply identifying one or more key servers, each of the one or more key servers serving at least one of the one or more groups and being adapted for distributing group cryptography material to members of each group that is served by the corresponding key server;
• and
• instructions for sending the Mobile IP registration reply to the group member, thereby enabling the group member to obtain group cryptography material for at least one of the one or more groups from at least one of the one or more key servers to enable the group member to use the shared key to secure communications with other group members.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for:
• receiving a Mobile IP registration request from a group member, the group member being a Mobile Node;
• generating a mobility binding for the group member that associates the group member with a care-of address, wherein the group member is a member of one or more groups;
• generating a Mobile IP registration reply, the Mobile IP registration reply identifying one or more key servers, each of the one or more key servers serving at least one of the one or more groups and being adapted for distributing group cryptography material to members of each group that is served by the corresponding key server;
• and
• sending the Mobile IP registration reply to the group member, thereby enabling the group member to obtain group cryptography material for at least one of the one or more groups from at least one of the one or more key servers to enable the group member to use the shared key to secure communications with other group members.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for:
• receiving a Mobile IP registration request by a Home Agent from a key server, the key server being a Mobile Node;
• generating by the Home Agent a mobility binding for the key server that associates the key server with a care-of address, the key server serving one or more groups and being adapted for distributing group cryptography material to members of each of the one or more groups that is served by the key server;
• generating by the Home Agent a Mobile IP registration reply;
• and
• sending by the Home Agent the Mobile IP registration reply to the key server.

A method, comprising:

• receiving a Mobile IP registration request by a Home Agent from a key server, the key server being a Mobile Node;
• generating by the Home Agent a mobility binding for the key server that associates the key server with a care-of address, the key server serving one or more groups and being adapted for distributing group cryptography material to members of each of the one or more groups that is served by the key server;
• generating by the Home Agent a Mobile IP registration reply;
• and
• sending by the Home Agent the Mobile IP registration reply to the key server.