Secure and controlled electronic document distribution arrangement

A method of communicating comprising:

• establishing a secure connection between a client and a server;
• in response to receiving from the client over the secure connection a request for information accompanied by an identifier of the client (client ID), the server validating the client ID and validating the request with respect to the client ID;
• in response to validating the client ID and the request, the server using the client ID to generate permissions of the client pertaining to the information, for enforcement by the client with respect to the information;
• the server encrypting the information;
• in response to the validating, the server sending the permissions and the encrypted information accompanied by a unique signature for the sent information to the client over the secure connection;
• the server storing a record associated with the signature, of data about the sent information including the client ID and the permissions;
• in response to a lack of the validating, the server forbearing from sending the information to the client;
• in response to receiving from the client over the secure connection an acknowledgement of receipt by the client of the encrypted data, signature, and permissions, accompanied by the signature, the server logging the receipt in the record associated with the signature;
• and
• in response to receiving from the client over the secure connection of a report of activity at the client with respect to the information accompanied by the signature, the server logging the activity in the record associated with the signature.

A method of communicating comprising:

• establishing a secure connection between a client and a server;
• sending a request for information accompanied by an identifier of the client (client ID) from the client to the server over the secure connection;
• in response to receiving from the server over the secure connection encrypted said information, a unique signature for the received information, and permissions of the client with respect to the information, said receiving being indicative of validation by the server of the client ID and of the request with respect to the client ID, the client sending an acknowledgement of the receipt accompanied by the signature to the server over the secure connection for logging of the acknowledgement in, a record and associated with the signature, of data about the sent information;
• the client decrypting the received encrypted information;
• the client enforcing the received permissions with request to the received information;
• and
• in response to activity with respect to the received information at the client, the client sending a report of the activity accompanied by the signature to the server over the secure connection for logging of the activity by the server in the record associated with the signature.

An apparatus for communicating comprising:

• means for establishing a secure connection between a client and a server;
• means in the client for sending a request for information accompanied by an identifier of the client (client ID) to the server over the secure connection;
• means in the server responsive to receipt of the request and the client ID, for validating the client ID and validating the request with respect to the client ID:
• means in the server responsive to the validating, for using the client ID to generate permissions of the client pertaining to the information;
• means in the server for encrypting the information;
• means in the server responsive to the validating, for sending the permissions and the encrypted information accompanied by a unique signature for the sent information to the client over the secure connection, and responsive to a lack of the validating, for forbearing from sending the information to the client;
• means in the server for storing a record associated with the unique signature, of data about the sent information including the client ID and the permissions;
• means in the client responsive to receiving the encrypted information, signature, and permissions, for sending an acknowledgement of the receipt accompanied by the signature to the server over the secure connection;
• means in the server responsive to receiving the acknowledgement and the unique signature, for logging the receipt in the record associated with the signature;
• means in the client for decrypting the received encrypted information;
• means in the client for enforcing the received permissions with respect to the received information;
• means in the client responsive to activity with respect to the received information at the client, for sending a report of the activity accompanied by the signature to the server over the secure connection;
• and
• means in the server responsive to receiving the report, for logging the activity in the document record associated with the signature.

A server for communicating with a client, comprising:

• means for establishing a secure connection between the client and the server;
• means responsive to receiving from the client over the secure connection a request for information accompanied by an identifier of the client (client ID), for validating the client ID and validating the request with respect to the client ID;
• means responsive to validating the client ID and the request, for using the client ID to generate permissions of the client pertaining to the information, for enforcement by the client with respect to the information;
• means for encrypting the information;
• means responsive to the validating, for sending the permissions and the encrypted information accompanied by a unique signature for the sent information to the client over the secure connection, and responsive to alack of the validating, for forbearing from sending the information to the client;
• means for storing a record associated with the signature, of data about the sent information including the client ID and the permissions;
• means responsive to receiving from the client over the secure connection an acknowledgement of receipt by the client of the encrypted data, signature, and permissions, accompanied by the signature, for logging the receipt in the record associated with the signature;
• and
• means responsive to receiving from the client over the secure connection of a report of activity at the client with respect to the information accompanied by the signature, for logging the activity in the record associated with the signature.

A client for communicating with a server, comprising:

• means for establishing a secure connection between the client and the server;
• means for sending a request for information accompanied by an identifier of the client (client ID) from the client to the server over the secure connection;
• means responsive to receiving from the server over the secure connection encrypted said information, a unique signature for the received information, and permissions of the client with respect to the information, said receiving being indicative of validation by the server of the client ID and of the request with respect to the client ID, for sending an acknowledgement of the receipt accompanied by the signature to the server over the secure connection for logging of the acknowledgement in a record, associated with the signature, of data about the sent information;
• means for decrypting the received encrypted information;
• means for enforcing the received permissions with request to the received information;
• and
• means responsive to activity with respect to the received information at the client, for sending a report of the activity accompanied by the signature to the server over the secure connection for logging of the activity by the server in the record associated with the signature.