Method of securing a document in a system and controlling access to the document and a seal for use in the method

A method of securing a document stored in a computer system which is part of a network, which comprises:

• creating a seal associated with a document which is to be stored or shared within the computer system or network, the seal further comprising information:
• a). identifying the person requesting that the document be secured (hereinafter the “requestor”);
• and
• b). identifying who can access the document;
• sending a key to the requestor so that the key can be used by the requestor to encrypt the document;
• and
• the requestor discarding the key following the encryption of the document:
• thereby to allow one or more designated persons to have access to the document in accordance with the information in the seal.

A method for sealing and controlling access to a document stored or communicated in a computer system which is part of a network which comprises:

• creating a seal as part of a document which remains a part of the document when the document is in storage or when the document is sent in communication or is shared anywhere within the computer system or network;
• placing in the seal information identifying the person requesting that the document be secured (hereinafter the “requestor”);
• and
• placing in the seal information identifying who can access the document;
• said seal allowing the system to validate the requestor, and identify those authorized by the requestor to have access to the document.

A method for sealing and controlling access to a document stored or communicated in a computer system which is part of a network which comprises:

• creating a seal as part of a document which remains a part of the document when the document is in storage or when the document is sent in communication or is shared anywhere within the computer system or network;
• and
• including in said seal hash information from the document which allows the computer system to check the integrity of the document:
• said seal allowing the system to validate the requestor, and identify those authorized by the requestor to have access to the document.

A method for sealing and controlling access to a document stored or communicated in a computer system which is part of a network which comprises:

• creating a seal as part of a document which remains a part of the document when the document is in storage or when the document is sent in communication or is shared anywhere within the computer system or network;
• and
• including in said seal information which allows a server to add a unique key to the seal:
• said seal allowing the system to validate the requestor, and identify those authorized by the requestor to have access to the document.

A method for sealing and controlling access to a document stored or communicated in a computer system which is part of a network which comprises:

• creating a seal as part of a document which remains a part of the document when the document is in storage or when the document is sent in communication or is shared anywhere within the computer system or network;
• and
• encrypting said seal using a unique key at a server:
• said seal allowing the system to validate the requestor, and identify those authorized by the requestor to have access to the document.

A seal for securing a document stored in a computer system which is part of a network, said seal being associated with a document which is to be stored or shared within the computer system or network, said seal comprising:

• a) information identifying the person requesting that the document be secured (hereinafter the “requestor”);
• and
• b) information identifying who can access the document;
• whereby the seal allows one or more designated persons to have access to the document in accordance with the information in the seal.

A seal for sealing and controlling access to a document stored or communicated in a system which is part of a network, said seal comprising selected information, said selected information comprising:

• information identifying the person requesting that the document be secured (hereinafter the “requestor”);
• and
• information identifying who can access the document;
• said seal being a part of the document and remaining a part of the document when the document is in storage or when the document is sent in communication or is shared anywhere within the system or network, said seal allowing the system to validate the requestor, and identify those authorized by the requestor to have access to the document.

A seal for sealing and controlling access to a document stored or communicated in a system which is part of a network, said seal comprising selected information, said selected information comprising:

• information identifying the person requesting that the document be secured (hereinafter the “requestor”);
• information identifying who can access the document;
• and
• information which allows a server to add a unique document key to the seal;
• said seal being a part of the document and remaining a part of the document when the document is in storage or when the document is sent in communication or is shared anywhere within the system or network, said seal allowing the system to validate the requestor, and identify those authorized by the requestor to have access to the document.

A seal for sealing and controlling access to a document stored or communicated in a system which is part of a network, said seal comprising selected information, said selected information comprising:

• information identifying the person requesting that the document be secured (hereinafter the “requestor”);
• and
• information identifying who can access the document;
• wherein said seal is encrypted using a unique key at a server;
• said seal being a part of the document and remaining a part of the document when the document is in storage or when the document is sent in communication or is shared anywhere within the system or network, said seal allowing the system to validate the requestor, and identify those authorized by the requestor to have access to the document.