Method and apparatus for securing e-mail attachments

A method for exchanging data between a plurality of electronic devices over a computer network so as to frustrate unauthorized access to said data, said method comprising:

• providing a plurality of security devices each being associated with at least one of said plurality of electronic devices;
• identifying an intended recipient having one of said electronic devices using an originating one of said electronic devices;
• determining whether security data associated with said recipient electronic device is available to said originating electronic device, and if not:
• establishing a point-to-point electronic communications session between a first of said security devices being associated with said originating electronic device and a second of said plurality of security devices being associated with said recipient electronic device, exchanging said security data between said first and second security devices using said point-to-point communications session, and storing said security data so as to be available to said first electronic device;
• encrypting data residing on said first electronic device using said first security device and said security data;
• and,
• transmitting said encrypted data from said first electronic device to said second electronic device over said computer network.

A method for exchanging data between a plurality of suitable microprocessor based devices over a computer network so as to frustrate unauthorized access to said data, said method comprising:

• identifying at least first and second recipients for said data to be exchanged;
• identifying first security data associated with said first recipient and second security data associated with said second recipient;
• and,
• encrypting said data using said first and second security data.