System and method for secure three-party communications

A method for communicating information between a first party and a second party, comprising the steps of:

• receiving, by an intermediary, an identifier of desired information, an authentication of the first party, and accounting information for a transaction involving the information, from the first party;
• generating, by the intermediary, a transcoding key for converting an encrypted file at the second party to a new encryption formation, having as components a decryption key for the encrypted file and a new encryption key;
• receiving, by the first party, the encrypted file having the new encryption format;
• and
• decrypting the encrypted file having the new encryption format with a decryption key associated with the transcoding key,
• wherein at least one of:
• an ability to decrypt the encrypted file having the new encryption format with the decryption key is sensitive to a dynamic parameter;
• and
• the encrypted content does not pass through the intermediary, and the intermediary does not possess sufficient information for decrypting the encrypted file having the new encryption format.

A method for processing information, comprising the steps of:

• storing a record in a first encrypted format;
• receiving a transaction request for the record from a requestor;
• financially accounting for a transaction involving the record;
• securely negotiating between the requestor and an intermediary, a decryption key for the record, said decryption key being different than an associated decryption key for said record in said first encrypted format;
• converting the record to a second encrypted format, without being represented in an unencrypted state during transition from the first encrypted format to the second encrypted format, and without providing sufficient information at the site of conversion to enable decryption of the record from the first or second encrypted format before, during or after conversion, such that the negotiated decryption key is selectively operative to decrypt the record in the second encrypted format;
• communicating the record encrypted in the second encrypted format to the requestor, without passing the record through the intermediary;
• and
• decrypting the record in the second encrypted format by the requester based on the negotiated decryption key.

A method for processing information, comprising the steps of:

• defining a cryptographic comprehension function adapted for making at least a portion of an information record incomprehensible, said cryptographic comprehension function having associated asymmetric cryptographic keys;
• generating, by an intermediary, a transcoding key for converting information encrypted with said cryptographic comprehension function to information encrypted with a new cryptographic comprehension function, having as components a decryption key for the encrypted information and a new encryption key;
• processing the information encrypted with said cryptographic comprehension function with the transcoding key to invert the cryptographic comprehension function and impose the new cryptographic comprehension function, without revealing the portion of the information record in an intermediate step;
• providing a first communications channel between a first and second party;
• providing a second communications channel between each of the first and second parties and the intermediary;
• communicating, by the intermediary through the second communications channel, with at least one of the first and second parties, information necessary for comprehension of the incomprehensible portion of the information record communicated over the first communications channel, wherein at least one of either:
• (a) the intermediary is neither provided with the portion of the information in a comprehensible or incomprehensible form, nor sufficient decryption information for the comprehension of the incomprehensible portion of the information record or (b) the ability of the information necessary for comprehension of the incomprehensible portion of the record changes dynamically;
• and
• communicating the processed information over the first communications channel between the first and second parties.