Patent ID: 7873838

Claim:
A computer controlled method for generating a selectively encrypted data unit from an unencrypted data unit comprising: accessing a list of attributes related to said unencrypted data unit; accessing said unencrypted data unit, said unencrypted data unit comprising a sequence of data; identifying sensitive information within said sequence of data associated with one or more of said list of attributes; selecting a protection key, said protection key responsive to a random number; computing a plurality of auxiliary values directly using said list of attributes and said random number; encrypting said sensitive information with said protection key to create an encrypted version of said sensitive information, said encrypted version associated with said plurality of auxiliary values; linking an attribute vector with said encrypted version, said attribute vector responsive to said sensitive information associated with one or more of said list of attributes associated with said encrypted version; and storing, as said selectively encrypted data unit, data from said unencrypted data unit and said encrypted version of said sensitive information.