The aim of this note is two-fold. First, it discusses synchronization of chaotic systems from a control theoretic point of view and introduces the concept of secure synchronization, i.e., a communication scheme that resists possible intrusion based on either adaptive or robust control techniques. Second, for a large class of chaotic systems, i.e., the generalized Lorenz system, global exponential synchronization via a scalar communication signal is suggested and its security is analyzed from a control theoretic viewpoint. Both theoretical analysis and numerical simulations are provided, verifying the proposed chaos-synchronization-based secure communication design principle and methodology.