Abstract: A method of establishing a Host Identity Protocol session between first and second Host Identity Protocol enabled hosts, where at least said second host is located behind a reverse-proxy. The method comprises providing the reverse-proxy with Diffie-Hellman public keying material of the second host, sending said Diffie-Hellman public keying material from the reverse-proxy to the first host as part of the Host Identity Protocol base exchange procedure, this material being bound to the Host Identity of the reverse-proxy for the purpose of the Host Identity Protocol session, and, at the first host, using the Host Identity of the reverse-proxy as the correspondent Host Identity for the Host Identity Protocol session, and, at the second host, using the Host Identity of the reverse-proxy as the originating Host Identity for the Host Identity Protocol session.

Abstract: A method of routing traffic between external users and a communication network via a private access network. The method comprises establishing a secure outer tunnel between the private network and a gateway of a public access network to which the private network is coupled, based upon authentication of the private network to the public access network, said gateway being coupled to said communication network. For each external user wishing to connect to the communication network via the private network, a secure inner tunnel is established between the user and the gateway based upon authentication of the user to the gateway, the inner tunnel being within said outer tunnel. Traffic is caused to flow between external users and the gateway through the respective inner tunnels.

Abstract: A method is provided of at least partially securing communications between first and second hosts using the Host Identity Protocol, HIP, where the first host is not HIP enabled and the second host is HIP enabled. A persistent HIP identity is associated with the first host and maintained at a remote server. A public part of the persistent HIP identity is obtained from the remote server together with a certificate authorising a gateway node between the first and second hosts to use a temporary HIP identity associated with the first host in a subsequent negotiating step. A secure HIP connection is then negotiated between the gateway node and the second host using at least part of each of the persistent HIP identity, the temporary HIP identity and the certificate.