Abstract: The invention enables the transport of a key from a sender to a receiver. The sender comprises means for generating or obtaining a virtual key and securing the virtual key to protect its authenticity and confidentiality. The secured virtual key is provided to the receiver. The receiver comprises means to derive the virtual key from the secured virtual key. The sender and the receiver comprise means to provide the virtual key and a signature verification key associated with the sender as inputs to a cryptographic function to generate an output. The output includes at least one key. The at least one key may be in turn used as input to a cryptographic mechanism, providing a service to a security application. Examples of such services are encryption or decryption of content, or generating a response to a challenge.