Patent ID: 8448236

Claim:
A data server comprising: a data server processor; a data server communication device controlled by said data server processor and configured for selective communication with a connection server via ports assigned by said data server processor; and a data server data storage readable by said data server processor, wherein said data server data storage is adapted to store, in non-volatile storage, secured data and program instructions executable by said data server processor to conduct the steps of: generating and transmitting to said connection server a polling signal via a polling port; monitoring said polling port for a reply to said polling signal from said connection server; only in response to receiving a reply to said polling signal, opening a secure random socket connection for use by said data server communication device, said secure random socket connection having an address randomly selected by said data server processor and hidden from said connection server at least until after said secure random socket connection has been opened by said data server processor; establishing a connection to said connection server via said data server communication device using said secure random socket connection opened by said data server processor; permitting access to said secured data stored on said data server data storage by said connection server via said secure random socket connection; and closing said secure random socket connection after access by said connection server to said secured data has occurred.