A system for establishing a secure connection is described. The system includes a remote direct memory access over converged Ethernet (RoCE) adapter and host device. The host device includes a processor configured to establish a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection between the host device and a client device via the host device network adapter. The host device forwards Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) Security Associations (SAs) and related keys to a host device Remote Direct Memory Access over Converged Ethernet (RoCE) adapter operatively connected with the host device for remote direct memory access. The RoCE adapter communicates protected data to and from the client device over an RoCE connection using the IPSec SAs and related keys.