An UNENROLLED adapter responds to an enrollment activation signal by generating an enrollment supplicant signal. The enrollment supplicant signal is received by an ENROLLED adapter, an enrollment provider, which responds by formulating and transmitting an enrollment provider signal, including security management service information, to the UNENROLLED adapter. The UNENROLLED adapter changes a network adapter configuration responsive to the security management service information provided by the ENROLLED adapter, by which the network adapter is configured securely, and secure communications are effectuated. Enrolled adapter can solicit enrollment of an UNENROLLED adapter. The activation signal can be a physical or virtual activation sequence.