Network having multicast security and method therefore

A network, comprising:

• a plurality of nodes each comprising a processor and a communication module configured to conduct encrypted communication with at least one other communication module;
• a plurality of groups, each of said plurality of groups comprising a plurality of said plurality of nodes and each node being a member of only one of said plurality of groups;
• wherein each individual node within a particular one of said plurality of groups conduct software-implemented encrypted communication using said individual node's processor with another individual node within said particular one of said plurality of groups according to a group key regardless of connectivity between said plurality of groups;
• and
• wherein said network is configured to conduct software-implemented communication between a node of said particular one of said plurality of groups and a node of another one of said plurality of groups utilizing a session key;
• wherein one of said plurality of nodes of said particular one of said plurality of groups is an intra-group mediator for said particular one of said plurality of groups and configured to initiate transmission of a group key unique to said particular one of said plurality of groups to each of said plurality of nodes of said particular one of said plurality of groups;
• wherein one of said plurality of nodes of each of said plurality of groups is an intra-group mediator, wherein one of said plurality of nodes is an inter-group mediator different than said intra-group mediator, and wherein said inter-group mediator is configured to communicate with each intra-group mediator of each of said plurality of groups;
• and
• wherein said session key periodically expires and wherein said inter-group mediator is configured to initiate transmission to said intra-group mediator of a replacement session key based, at least in part, on an expiration of said session key.

A method for conducting encrypted communication in a network having a plurality of nodes organized into a plurality of groups, comprising the steps of:

• initiating encrypted communication between a first one of said plurality of nodes of a first one of said plurality of groups and a second one of said plurality of nodes of said first one of said plurality of groups different from said first one of said plurality of groups using a group key regardless of connectivity between said plurality of groups;
• and
• initiating encrypted communication between a third one of said plurality of nodes of said first one of said plurality of groups and a fourth one of said plurality of nodes of a second one of said plurality groups different from said first one of said plurality of groups using a session key;
• wherein one of said plurality of nodes of said first one of said plurality of groups is an intra-group mediator for said first one of said plurality of groups, and
• further comprising the step of initiating transmission of said group key unique to said first one of said plurality of groups to each of said plurality of nodes of said first one of said plurality of groups using said intra-group mediator;
• wherein one of said plurality of nodes of each of said plurality of groups is an intra-group mediator;
• wherein one of said plurality of nodes is an inter-group mediator different than said intra-group mediator;
• and
• further comprising the step of communicating with said inter-group mediator with each intra-group mediator of each of said plurality of groups
• wherein said session key periodically expires;
• and
• further comprising the step of initiating transmission of a replacement session key with said inter-group mediator based, at least in part, on an expiration of said session key.