Protection systems and methods for electronic devices including at least one communication line interface are disclosed. A switch connected to each interface and a working communication path in an electronic device is adapted for connection to a protection communication path and controllable to connect each interface to either the working communication path or the protection communication path. Inter-device messaging provides for switch control by a protection device connected to the protection communication path, monitoring of devices in a protection group, protection communication path monitoring, and automatic configuration of a protection group.