Patent ID: 7366897

Claim:
A method for communication via a computer network, the method comprising: registering a plurality of users with a trusted body, including the steps of each of the users generating a first public/private key pair for a specific dialogue session, and sending the public key of the public/private key pair to the trusted body; said trusted body verifying the identity of each user by using said public key; said trusted body generating a random identifier for each user, and keeping a confidential record of the relation between the identity of each user and the random identifier for the user; one of the users entering into a dialogue with one or more other users by sending messages over the computer network and through the trusted body to said one or more other users, wherein said one of the users remains anonymous through use of its random identifier until such time as the user reveals its identity to one or more of the other users; and wherein the trusted body has a second public/private key pair, and the user encrypts said messages using the public key of said second public/private key pair, and the method includes said trusted body recording the dialogue by recording the encrypted messages, and using the recorded dialogue together with the confidential record of the relation between the identity of a user and the random identifier to provide a means of non-repudiation of the dialogue by users.