Patent ID: 7131003

Claim:
A process for the secure transmission and reception of data files and text messages via an instant messaging system across a computer network, comprising the steps of: providing an instant messaging server; providing at least one certificate authority; wherein said at least one certificate authority issues a certificate to a user that links a user's screen name with a public key value; providing a first instant messaging client; wherein said first instant messaging client is associated with a first user; wherein the first user has an associated screen name; and wherein the first user obtains a certificate from said at least one certificate authority; wherein said first instant messaging client sends the first user's certificate to said instant messaging server for publishing, and wherein said instant messaging server makes the first user's certificate available to any of: the first user's list of preferred users and users that have the first user on their list of preferred users; and wherein said first instant messaging client sends the first user's status information for his certificate along with his certificate to said instant messaging server, and wherein said instant messaging server makes the first user's status information available to any of: the first user's list of preferred users and users that have the first user on their list of preferred users.