System, method and computer product for sending encrypted messages to recipients where the sender does not possess the credentials of the recipient

A computer program product operable on a network-connected device for exchanging PKI compliant messages between a sender and one or more recipients, whereby the sender does not have access to the PKI credentials of at least one of the one or more recipients, said at least one of the one or more recipients corresponding to a non-credentialed recipient, the system comprising:

• (a) A Public Key Cryptographic utility linked to a browser or a client communication program, or forming part of the browser or the client communication program, the Public Key Cryptography utility being configured to perform one or more cryptographic operations including encrypting/decrypting data, authenticating data, and/or authenticating a sender, decrypting and/or verifying data, the Public Key Cryptography utility being configured on a computer of the sender to:
• (i) Perform one or more of such cryptographic operations so as to create an encrypted message for communication to the recipient;
• and
• (ii) Identify that the sender does not have access to the PKI credentials of the non-credentialed recipient, and thereby initiate the creation of a secret shared between the sender and the non-credentialed recipient;
• and
• Wherein the Public Key Cryptographic utility cooperates with a server to invite the recipient to provide the shared secret so as to:
• (i) obtain the encrypted message in a decrypted form in a secure session with the server;
• or (ii) activate a Public Key Cryptography utility linked to the second network-connected device or to the server so as to access a private key linked to the encrypted message thereby enabling the Public Key Cryptography utility to decrypt the encrypted message.

A method for sending an encrypted email message from a sender computer to a non-credentialed recipient at a recipient computer via a communication network, said method comprising:

• generating the encrypted email message at the sender computer;
• sending the encrypted email message to the recipient computer via the communication network;
• notifying the non-credentialed recipient of the encrypted email message;
• providing the non-credentialed recipient with a shared secret question and receiving a shared secret answer to the shared secret question from the non-credentialed recipient;
• and
• verifying the answer from the non-credentialed recipient and if verified providing the recipient computer with a decryption code for decrypting the encrypted email message.

A system for sending an encrypted email message to a non-credentialed recipient at a recipient computer via a communication network, said system comprising:

• an application configured for encrypting an email message;
• an application configured for sending the encrypted email message to the recipient computer via the communication network;
• an application configured for notifying the non-credentialed recipient of the encrypted email message;
• an application configured for providing the non-credentialed recipient with a shared secret question and receiving a shared secret answer to the shared secret question from the non-credentialed recipient;
• and
• said application including a component for verifying the answer from the non-credentialed recipient and if verified providing the recipient computer with a decryption code for decrypting the encrypted email message.

A computer program product for sending an encrypted email message from a sender computer to a non-credentialed recipient at a recipient computer via a communication network, said computer program product comprising:

• a storage medium configured for storing executable instructions;
• said executable instructions comprising instructions for,
• generating the encrypted email message at the sender computer;
• sending the encrypted email message to the recipient computer via the communication network;
• notifying the non-credentialed recipient of the encrypted email message;
• providing the non-credentialed recipient with a shared secret question and receiving a shared secret answer to the shared secret question from the non-credentialed recipient;
• and
• verifying the answer from the non-credentialed recipient and if verified providing the recipient computer with a decryption code for decrypting the encrypted email message.