Abstract: Protocols for session key agreement and authentication in a communication system such as a portable communication system make use of public key cryptographic techniques. The protocols of the present invention are especially suited for use in a portable communication system because portable telephones are required by the inventive protocols to perform only a minimal amount of processing, while assigning the heavier computations to the network. The inventive protocols also authenticate the weaker (i.e. portable) side. The protocols also ensure that a third party cannot trace the location of a user by eavesdropping on a radio signal transmitted by a portable telephone.

Abstract: A secure audio teleconferencing system is disclosed. The secure teleconferencing system comprises a centralized facility or bridge to which a plurality of participants is connected. The role of the bridge is to receive encrypted message signals from the participants and to add the encrypted message signals, modulo some known number. The result is then transmitted to the participants. Each participant is able to decrypt the modular sum of encrypted message signals, to obtain the desired ordinary sum of clear text message signals. In accordance with the invention, the message signals remain encrypted throughtout processing by the bridge. There are no non-encrypted messages.