Method of key exchange for a cryptographic secure point to multipoint connection

The invention relates to a method for key agreement for a cryptographically secured point-to-multipoint connection. It is the object of providing a universal method that engages changing as little as possible in existing transmission concepts and security architectures and particularly easily fits into the OSI model. DOLLAR A The object is achieved by a process in which the key agreement is based on a modified SSL or TLS protocol. The order of the messages of the SSL session introductory handshakes is changed depending on an identifier contained in a server message, featuring the connection to be established as an IP multicast connection.