Patent ID: 8590057

Claim:
An encryption and decryption key server system comprising: a data storage system configured to store and retrieve data; a network interface configured to communicate information through a computer network; and a data processing module configured to: receive an encryption key request from the network interface, the encryption key request including information identifying a sender of the encryption key request and identifying at least one recipient of information that is to be encrypted with the requested encryption key; in response to the receipt of each encryption key request: cause the network interface to send an encryption key to the sender of the encryption key request configured to enable the information to be encrypted; and store information in the data storage system identifying the sender of the encryption key request in association with the at least one recipient identified in the encryption key request; receive a decryption key request from the network interface, the decryption key request including information identifying a sender of the decryption key request and a sender of the encrypted information; and in response to the receipt of each decryption key request, cause the network interface to send a decryption key to the sender of the decryption key request if and only if a) the sender of the encrypted information and the sender of the decryption key request, as both identified by the information in the decryption key request, match, respectively, b) the sender of the encryption key request and the at least one recipient of said information to be encrypted with the requested encryption key, as both identified by the encryption key request.