Patent ID: 7171000

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for securely transmitting an information package from a sender to an addressee via a network, the method comprising the steps of: searching at least one database to determine whether the addressee has a public key in order to determine the type of encryption to be performed on the package; upon a determination that the addressee does have a public key, encrypting the package with the addressee's public key and not encrypting the package with an escrow encryption key; only upon a determination that the addressee does not have a public key, selectively encrypting the package with the escrow encryption key; storing the escrow key encrypted package in escrow for the addressee prior to receiving a public key for the addressee; notifying the addressee of the package stored in escrow; and in response to receiving an acknowledgement from the addressee: issuing new public and private keys to the addressee, where said new public key is not equal to said escrow encryption key; and in response to subsequently verified authentication of the addressee: transmitting the package to the addressee via the network.