Limiting receiver access to secure read-only communications over a network by preventing access to source-formatted plaintext

A method for communicating between a sender and a receiver over a computer network, comprising the steps of:

• defining a plurality of parameters for a secure message, at least one of the plurality of parameters accessible to a management module for controlling receiver access to a decryption key;
• sending the secure message from the sender to the receiver over a network;
• receiving the secure message at the receiver;
• sending a request from the receiver to a management module for the decryption key;
• processing the request at the management module to determine whether the receiver is permitted to decrypt the message based on said at least one of the plurality of parameters;
• when not permitted, sending a denial message to the receiver;
• when permitted, sending the decryption key to the receiver;
• and
• when the decryption key is sent to the receiver, decrypting the message at the receiver into a source format, reformatting the decrypted message into a prescribed format, deleting the decryption key and the source-formatted decrypted message;
• in which the step of processing the request at the management module to determine whether the receiver is permitted to view the message comprises:
• maintaining a count of a number of times that the decryption key has been sent to the receiver, testing said at least one of the plurality of parameters accessible to the management module to determine whether the count exceeds a maximum number of times to send the decryption key to the receiver, and denying permission to decrypt the message when the count exceeds the maximum number.

A method for communicating between a sender and a receiver over a computer network, comprising the steps of:

• defining a plurality of parameters for a secure message, at least one of the plurality of parameters accessible to a management module for controlling receiver access to a decryption key;
• sending the secure message from the sender to the receiver over a network;
• receiving the secure message at the receiver;
• sending a request from the receiver to a management module for the decryption key;
• processing the request at the management module to determine whether the receiver is permitted to decrypt the message based on said at least one of the plurality of parameters;
• when not permitted, sending a denial message to the receiver;
• when permitted, sending the decryption key to the receiver;
• and when the decryption key is sent to the receiver, decrypting the message at the receiver into a source format, reformatting the decrypted message into a prescribed format, deleting the decryption key and the source-formatted decrypted message;
• wherein during the steps of decrypting the message at the receiver into a source format, reformatting the decrypted message into a prescribed format, and deleting the decryption key and the source-formatted decrypted message, interrupts are disabled at the receiver to prevent unauthorized access to the source-formatted decrypted message.

A method for communicating between a sender and a receiver over a computer network, comprising the steps of:

• setting a send configuration parameter for a secure message;
• routing the send configuration parameter to a management module;
• sending the secure message from the sender to the receiver over a network;
• receiving the secure message at the receiver;
• sending a request from the receiver to the management module for a decryption key;
• processing the request at the management module to determine whether the receiver is permitted to decrypt the message;
• when not permitted, sending a denial message to the receiver;
• when permitted, sending the decryption key to the receiver;
• and
• when the decryption key is sent to the receiver, decrypting the message at the receiver into a source format, reformatting the decrypted message into a prescribed format, and deleting the decryption key and the source-formatted decrypted message without first storing the decryption key and source-formatted decrypted message in a permanent memory.

A system for securing communication between a sender and a receiver over a computer network, comprising:

• a plurality of parameters pertaining to a secure message;
• a management module which stores the plurality of parameters;
• a communication pathway for carrying the secure message from the sender to the receiver over the network;
• a communication pathway along which the receiver sends a request to the management module for a decryption key;
• wherein the management module comprises means for processing the request to determine whether the receiver is permitted to decrypt the message, said processing means comprising means for testing at least one of said plurality of parameters;
• means for sending a denial message to the receiver when the management module determines that decryption is not permitted;
• means for sending the decryption key to the receiver when the management module determines that decryption is permitted;
• processing means at the receiver for decrypting the message at the receiver into a source format, reformatting the decrypted message into a prescribed format, and deleting the decryption key and the source-formatted decrypted message without first storing the decryption key and source-formatted decrypted message in a permanent memory.