Patent ID: 7085376

Claim:
A computer implemented method for facilitating secure electronic communications among at least two parties over a communication network, comprising: retaining a first private key and transmitting a corresponding first initial public key and synchronizing indicator; using a received second public key and second synchronizing indicator in combination with said retained first private key to determine, and retain, a first encryption key; determining a second private key, a third public key and a third synchronizing indicator, wherein said second private key is retained with said first retained private key; encrypting at least said third synchronizing indicator using said first encryption key; transmitting said third public key and encrypted third synchronizing indicator; decrypting a received fourth synchronizing indicator using said first encryption key; and determining a second encryption key from retained said second private key, a received fourth public key and decrypted said received fourth synchronizing indicator; wherein said second encryption key is retained with said first encryption key, and said first and second encryption keys are dependent upon said second and fourth synchronizing indicators, respectively, such that if said first and second encryption keys are determined using different synchronizing indicators, data encrypted using said first and second encryption keys provides different encrypted data, respectively, and wherein said synchronizing indicators are used to alter the starting position of the encrypting sequence with the corresponding public keys.