Patent ID: 8584251

Claim:
A first-computer-implemented method for preventing the transmission of confidential information between a first computer and a second computer in communication with the first computer, the method comprising the steps of: (a) the first computer receiving information for performing a transaction, the information including confidential information manually entered by a user; (b) the first computer sending the confidential information to a third computer, wherein step (b) is performed without storing, processing, or sending to the third computer any information that, in combination with the confidential information, would require the first computer to comply with any portion of the payment-card industry data-security standard (PCI DSS); (c) the first computer receiving, from the third computer, a token from which the confidential information cannot be derived without knowledge of an association made by the third computer between the confidential information and the token, wherein step (c) is performed without storing, processing, or receiving from the third computer any information that, in combination with the confidential information, would require the first computer to comply with any portion of the payment-card industry data-security standard (PCI DSS); and (d) the first computer sending to the second computer (i) the information for performing the transaction, except for the confidential information, and (ii) the token, wherein step (d) is performed without storing, processing, or sending to the second computer any information that, in combination with the confidential information, would require the first computer to comply with any portion of the payment-card industry data-security standard (PCI DSS).