A system(s) and method(s) for secure session establishment and secure encrypted exchange of data is disclosed. The system satisfies authentication requirement of general networking/communication systems. It provides an easy integration with systems already using schemes like DTLS-PSK. The system follows a cross layer approach in which session establishment is performed in a lightweight higher layer like the application layer. The system then passes resultant parameters of such session establishment including the session keys to a lower layer. The lower layer like the transport layer is then used by the system to perform channel encryption to allow exchange of encrypted data based on a cross layer approach, over a secure session. As the exchange of data becomes the responsibility of the lower layer like the transport layer, the data is protected from replay attacks since the transport layer record encryption mechanism provides that kind of protection.