In one embodiment, a method comprises: receiving, by a network device, a request from a requesting party to register the network device as an endpoint device in a secure peer-to-peer data network; cryptographically generating a secure private key and a secure public key associated with the requesting party utilizing the network device; generating and sending a registration request, including the secure public key and an external network address for reaching the requesting party via an external data network, to a prescribed destination associated with the secure peer-to-peer data network; and selectively registering the network device as the endpoint device in response to verifying a validation response having been sent to the external network address and that includes the secure public key, including creating a federation identifier associated with the external network address and an endpoint identifier uniquely identifying the endpoint device, and associating the endpoint identifier with the federation identifier.