Apparati, methods, and computer-readable media for improving the security of communications networks. In one embodiment, an application control device (1102) controls another device (1109) from a remote location. The
system comprises a remote device (1101) coupled to the device (1109) being controlled. The remote device (1101) has an action portion (1103) and a security portion (1104). The security portion (1104) contains a unique security portion identifier (1142). Remotely situated from the remote device (1101), the application control device (1102) comprises a rolling
transaction code generator (1120) adapted to assign a unique rolling
transaction code to each occurrence for which the application control device (1102) wishes to control the action portion (1103) of the remote device (1101). Another embodiment is a
system for enabling two or more devices (1401, 1402, 1403) to communicate with each other over a network (1450) without human intervention. The
system comprises at least one sending device (1401) adapted to send messages (1460) over the network (1450) to at least one receiving device (1402). Each sending device (1401) is coupled to the network (1450) via a sending intelligent
chip (1411). Each receiving device (1402) is coupled to the network (1450) via a receiving intelligent
chip (1421). Sending intelligent
chip (1411) appends an identifier (1417) to each message (1460) emanating from its associated sending device (1401). The identifier (1417) comprises a fixed portion (1415, 1416) uniquely identifying the associated sending device (1401), and a variable portion (1414). Receiving intelligent chip (1421) comprises a module (1423) for approving the sent messages (1460), by validating both the fixed and variable portions of the identifier (1417).