Sanctioned client device and methods for use therewith

1. A client device for cryptographic sanctioning of secure transmission of media content from a caching server, the client device comprising:

a network interface that provides bidirectional data communication with a sanction server and the caching server via at least one network, wherein the network interface transmits a request for the media content to the sanction server, receives second sanction data from the sanction server, transmits second cryptographic data to the caching server, receives first cryptographic data from the caching server and that receives scrambled media content from the caching server;

a random number generator, coupled to the network interface, that generates a random number;

a client processing module in the client device, coupled to the random number generator and the network interface, that, in response to the second sanction data, generates the second cryptographic data based on the random number and the second sanction data, generates a scrambling control word based on the second sanction data and the first cryptographic data and that descrambles the scrambled media content based on the scrambling control word;

wherein the caching server generates the first cryptographic data based on first sanction data received from the sanction server; and

wherein the first sanction data, the second sanction data, the first cryptographic data and the second cryptographic data are generated in accordance with an asymmetrical public key cryptography algorithm.

2. The client device of claim 1 wherein the caching processing module authenticates the second sanction data based on certificate data from a signing authority.

3. The client device of claim 1 wherein the caching processing module signs the request for the media content based on certificate data from a signing authority.

4. The client of claim 1 wherein the caching processing module signs the second cryptographic data based on certificate data from a signing authority.

5. A method for cryptographic sanctioning of secure transmission of media content from a caching server a client device, the method comprising:

transmitting a request for the media content to a sanction server;

receiving second sanction data from the sanction server;

generating a random number;

generating second cryptographic data based on the random number and the second sanction data;

transmitting the second cryptographic data to the caching server;

receiving first cryptographic data from the caching server;

generating a scrambling control word based on the second sanction data and the first cryptographic data;

receiving scrambled media content from the caching server; and

descrambling the scrambled media content based on the scrambling control word;

wherein the caching server generates the first cryptographic data based on first sanction data received from the sanction server; and

wherein the first sanction data, the second sanction data, the first cryptographic data and the second cryptographic data are generated in accordance with an asymmetrical public key cryptography algorithm.

6. The client device of claim 1 wherein the first sanction data, the second sanction data, the first cryptographic data and the second cryptographic data are generated in accordance with a Rivest, Shamir, Adelman (RSA) cryptography algorithm.

7. The client device of claim 1 wherein the first sanction data, the second sanction data, the first cryptographic data and the second cryptographic data are generated in accordance with an elliptic curve cryptography algorithm.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the first sanction data, the second sanction data, the first cryptographic data and the second cryptographic data are generated in accordance with a Rivest, Shamir, Adelman (RSA) cryptography algorithm.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the first sanction data, the second sanction data, the first cryptographic data and the second cryptographic data are generated in accordance with an elliptic curve cryptography algorithm.