def METHOD_NAME(self):
    # Performs the NTLM handshake that secures the connection. The socket
    # must be kept open while requests are performed.
    self.num_connections += 1
    log.debug('Starting NTLM HTTPS connection no. %d: https://%s%s',
              self.num_connections, self.host, self.authurl)
    headers = {}
    headers['Connection'] = 'Keep-Alive'
    req_header = 'Authorization'
    resp_header = 'www-authenticate'
    conn = HTTPSConnection(host=self.host, port=self.port)
    # Send negotiation message
    headers[req_header] = (
        'NTLM %s' % ntlm.create_NTLM_NEGOTIATE_MESSAGE(self.rawuser))
    log.debug('Request headers: %s', headers)
    conn.request('GET', self.authurl, None, headers)
    res = conn.getresponse()
    reshdr = dict(res.getheaders())
    log.debug('Response status: %s %s', res.status, res.reason)
    log.debug('Response headers: %s', reshdr)
    log.debug('Response data: %s [...]', res.read(100))
    # Remove the reference to the socket, so that it can not be closed by
    # the response object (we want to keep the socket open)
    res.fp = None
    # Server should respond with a challenge message
    auth_header_values = reshdr[resp_header].split(', ')
    auth_header_value = None
    for s in auth_header_values:
        if s[:5] == 'NTLM ':
            auth_header_value = s[5:]
    if auth_header_value is None:
        raise Exception('Unexpected %s response header: %s' %
                        (resp_header, reshdr[resp_header]))
    # Send authentication message
    ServerChallenge, NegotiateFlags = \
        ntlm.parse_NTLM_CHALLENGE_MESSAGE(auth_header_value)
    auth_msg = ntlm.create_NTLM_AUTHENTICATE_MESSAGE(ServerChallenge,
                                                     self.user,
                                                     self.domain,
                                                     self.pw,
                                                     NegotiateFlags)
    headers[req_header] = 'NTLM %s' % auth_msg
    log.debug('Request headers: %s', headers)
    conn.request('GET', self.authurl, None, headers)
    res = conn.getresponse()
    log.debug('Response status: %s %s', res.status, res.reason)
    log.debug('Response headers: %s', dict(res.getheaders()))
    log.debug('Response data: %s [...]', res.read()[:100])
    if res.status != 200:
        if res.status == 401:
            raise Exception('Server rejected request: wrong '
                            'username or password')
        raise Exception('Wrong server response: %s %s' %
                        (res.status, res.reason))
    res.fp = None
    log.debug('Connection established')
    return conn