Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client. One exemplary computer-implemented method for establishing a secure communication link between a first diem and a second client includes accessing, from a storage, identification information of a user of the first client. The method further includes receiving a Domain Name Service (DNS) request from the first client requesting a secure network address corresponding to a secure domain name associated with the second client. The method further includes authenticating the user based on the user identification information. The method also includes transmitting the secure computer network address in response to the DNS request based on a determination that the user has been authenticated. A secure communication link between the first diem and the second client is established based on the secure computer network address.

Abstract: Methods and related systems are presented that relate to automatically avoiding address conflicts when establishing a secure communications link over a public network between a local computer, associated with a local network, and a remote device, located outside the local network. Local network addresses on the local network reserved for use, and a block of local network addresses that do not conflict with the reserved local network addresses, are identified. At least one local network address is selected from the block and assigned as an address of the local device for use in communicating with the remote device securely over the public network. Communication is facilitated with the remote device using the network driver based on the assigned at least one local network address.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client. One exemplary computer-implemented method for establishing a secure communication link between a first diem and a second client includes accessing, from a storage, identification information of a user of the first client. The method further includes receiving a Domain Name Service (DNS) request from the first client requesting a secure network address corresponding to a secure domain name associated with the second client. The method further includes authenticating the user based on the user identification information. The method also includes transmitting the secure computer network address in response to the DNS request based on a determination that the user has been authenticated. A secure communication link between the first diem and the second client is established based on the secure computer network address.

Abstract: Methods and related systems are presented that relate to automatically avoiding address conflicts when establishing a secure communications link over a public network between a local computer, associated with a local network, and a remote device, located outside the local network. Local network addresses on the local network reserved for use, and a block of local network addresses that do not conflict with the reserved local network addresses, are identified. At least one local network address is selected from the block and assigned as an address of the local device for use in communicating with the remote device securely over the public network. Communication is facilitated with the remote device using the network driver based on the assigned at least one local network address.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client. One exemplary computer-implemented method for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client includes accessing, from a storage, identification information of a user of the first client. The method further includes receiving a Domain Name Service (DNS) request from the first client requesting a secure network address corresponding to a secure domain name associated with the second client. The method further includes authenticating the user based on the user identification information. The method also includes transmitting the secure computer network address in response to the DNS request based on a determination that the user has been authenticated. A secure communication link between the first client and the second client is established based on the secure computer network address.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client. One exemplary computer-implemented method for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client includes accessing, from a storage, identification information of a user of the first client. The method further includes receiving a Domain Name Service (DNS) request from the first client requesting a secure network address corresponding to a secure domain name associated with the second client. The method further includes authenticating the user based on the user identification information. The method also includes transmitting the secure computer network address in response to the DNS request based on a determination that the user has been authenticated. A secure communication link between the first client and the second client is established based on the secure computer network address.

Abstract: Methods and related systems are presented that relate to automatically avoiding address conflicts when establishing a secure communications link over a public network between a local computer, associated with a local network, and a remote device, located outside the local network. Local network addresses on the local network reserved for use, and a block of local network addresses that do not conflict with the reserved local network addresses, are identified. At least one local network address is selected from the block and assigned as an address of the local device for use in communicating with the remote device securely over the public network. Communication is facilitated with the remote device using the network driver based on the assigned at least one local network address.

Abstract: Methods and related systems are presented that relate to automatically avoiding address conflicts when establishing a secure communications link over a public network between a local computer, associated with a local network, and a remote device, located outside the local network. Local network addresses on the local network reserved for use, and a block of local network addresses that do not conflict with the reserved local network addresses, are identified. At least one local network address is selected from the block and assigned as an address of the local device for use in communicating with the remote device securely over the public network. Communication is facilitated with the remote device using the network driver based on the assigned at least one local network address.

Abstract: Methods and related systems are presented that relate to automatically avoiding address conflicts when establishing a secure communications link over a public network between a local computer, associated with a local network, and a remote device, located outside the local network. Local network addresses on the local network reserved for use, and a block of local network addresses that do not conflict with the reserved local network addresses, are identified. At least one local network address is selected from the block and assigned as an address of the local device for use in communicating with the remote device securely over the public network. Communication is facilitated with the remote device using the network driver based on the assigned at least one local network address.

Abstract: A network device comprises a storage device storing an application program for a secure communications service, and at least one processor configured to execute the application program for the secure communications service so as to enable the network device to send a request to look up a network address of a second device based on an identifier associated with the second device, receive an indication that the second device is available for the secure communications service, the indication including the requested network address and provisioning information for a secure communication link, connect to the second device over the secure communication link, using the received network address of the second device and the provisioning information for the secure communication link, and communicate at least one of video data and audio data with the second device using the secure communications service via the secure communication link.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client. One exemplary computer-implemented method for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client includes accessing, from a storage, identification information of a user of the first client. The method further includes receiving a Domain Name Service (DNS) request from the first client requesting a secure network address corresponding to a secure domain name associated with the second client. The method further includes authenticating the user based on the user identification information. The method also includes transmitting the secure computer network address in response to the DNS request based on a determination that the user has been authenticated. A secure communication link between the first client and the second client is established based on the secure computer network address.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client. One exemplary computer-implemented method for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client includes accessing, from a storage, identification information of a user of the first client. The method further includes receiving a Domain Name Service (DNS) request from the first client requesting a secure network address corresponding to a secure domain name associated with the second client. The method further includes authenticating the user based on the user identification information. The method also includes transmitting the secure computer network address in response to the DNS request based on a determination that the user has been authenticated. A secure communication link between the first client and the second client is established based on the secure computer network address.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client. One exemplary computer-implemented method for establishing a secure communication link between a first client and a second client includes accessing, from a storage, identification information of a user of the first client. The method further includes receiving a Domain Name Service (DNS) request from the first client requesting a secure network address corresponding to a secure domain name associated with the second client. The method further includes authenticating the user based on the user identification information. The method also includes transmitting the secure computer network address in response to the DNS request based on a determination that the user has been authenticated. A secure communication link between the first client and the second client is established based on the secure computer network address.

Abstract: A method of establishing a secure communication link includes receiving, at a domain name server (DNS), a request to communicate securely, the request including an identifier of a client device and having been sent in response to a determination that a DNS request from the client device corresponds to a first computer configured to communicate securely. The method includes sending a second request to a server computer. In response to second request, the server computer compares the received client device identifier to one or more stored client device identifiers to determine a security level of the client device and determines a security level of the first computer. The sever computer determines, based on a comparison of the security level of the client device and the security level of the first computer, whether the client device is authorized to communicate with the first computer, and generates a resource used to establish the secure communication link between the client device and the first computer.

Abstract: A method performed by a name server includes receiving, at the name server from a first network device, a first name associated with a second network device and for which the name server supports establishing an encrypted connection to the second network device over a network. The method further includes determining a quality of service level for the encrypted communication link based on the first name and on a user associated with the first network device, wherein the quality of service level corresponds to a priority with which the first network device is granted access to the second network device. The method further includes selecting, based on the determined quality of service level, one or more network addresses for communicating with the second network device using the encrypted connection from among a plurality of network addresses associated with the second network device, wherein the selected one or more network addresses correspond to the determined quality of service level.

Abstract: A method of transmitting data over a computer network includes, at an originating terminal connected to the computer network, receiving a stream of data and inserting a first level packet payload containing an at least one dummy data. The method includes, identifying a network destination address for the stream of data. Further, the method includes, forming a first level packet including the first level packet payload and a first level header containing data representing the network destination address. The method further includes, encrypting at least a portion of the first level packet to form a second level packet payload. The method further includes, forming a second level packet including the second level packet payload and a second layer header containing a router address of an intermediate router connecting the originating terminal to the network destination address. The method further includes, sending the second level packet to the intermediate router at the router address.

Abstract: A method performed by a first network device for communicating over a network, the method includes receiving, at the first network device, a request to connect to a second network device. The method includes, based on the request to connect, determining whether the first network device is set to an encrypted communication mode. The method further includes, based on a determination that the first network device is set to the encrypted communication mode, sending, to a first name service, a first name associated with the second network device and for which the first name service supports establishing an encrypted connection to the second network device.

Abstract: A secure domain name service for a computer network is disclosed that includes a portal connected to a computer network, such as the Internet, and a domain name database connected to the computer network through the portal. The portal authenticates a query for a secure computer network address, and the domain name database stores secure computer network addresses for the computer network. Each secure computer network address is based on a non-standard top-level domain name, such as .scom, .sorg, .snet, .snet, .sedu, .smil and .sint.

Abstract: A method of transmitting data over a computer network includes, at an originating terminal connected to the computer network, receiving a stream of data and inserting a first level packet payload containing an at least one dummy data. The method includes, identifying a network destination address for the stream of data. Further, the method includes, forming a first level packet including the first level packet payload and a first level header containing data representing the network destination address. The method further includes, encrypting at least a portion of the first level packet to form a second level packet payload. The method further includes, forming a second level packet including the second level packet payload and a second layer header containing a router address of an intermediate router connecting the originating terminal to the network destination address. The method further includes, sending the second level packet to the intermediate router at the router address.

Abstract: A system and method for video conferencing over a secure communication link is disclosed. In various implementations, the system is configured connect to a communication network, store a plurality of network addresses of devices of registered users, each device of a registered user having an application program for conducting video conferencing between, the client device and the target device, and establish a secure communication link between the client device and the target device. The secure communication link is established in response to a query (a) generated by the client device and (b) including an identifier associated with a network address of the target device, the establishment of the secure communication link being based on a determination that the target device can accept a secure communication link connection with the client device. Video conferencing is conducted over the secure communication link connection between the client device and the target device.