Data transfer and management system

A system for file management and transfer on a computer network, said network being connected being to a plurality of users, comprising:

• a data management module (DMM), residing on a server, including separate storage space on the server for each user of the system for uploading, forwarding, downloading and storage of files and messages selectively in encrypted and non-encrypted state, each user's space being divided into a plurality of main directories, including a system folder which keeps the user's settings defined by the system, and user's preferences, selected by the user, and folders for his private box, inbox and shared folders, which can be subdivided by user into many subfolders for storage and management of files to form an online filing system for each user to define different accessibility rights to different files, a server administrator having control over many management functions including registration and management of users and disk space and services on the server, while each user has control via a range of commands over many functions related to his files and allocated disk space, including compression, decompression, transfer, upload/download, delete, distribution to named groups of members of non-members, creation of arbitrary number of shared folders and access tables for individual shared folders and subdivision of various directories;
• a file transfer encryption and transfer module (FTE) residing on the user's computer, which provides for selection and transfer of files and messages using a standard web browser for file transfer using HTTP with selective encryption/decryption of files and messages with passwords exclusively associated and shared with different users, destinations or origins of the file or message, as the user moves the file to a new location so that the file is encrypted/decrypted by a password associated with and shared between the user and the new destination or origin;
• a file transfer module residing on the server which works in conjunction with the FTE for transferring data/files;
• a password management module residing on the user's computer which is a secure database of the user's password which he and other users have agreed to share, and passwords for other folders on the system or locations on computers outside the system, the password management module being encrypted by a master password known only to the user, wherein the password management module searches users and other passwords according to a defined criteria, selects appropriate passwords for encryption/decryption, provides synchronization of passwords for putting communicating users and provides each user the facility to register, delete, make available for sharing, change and manage his own passwords;
• and
• a security system including access controls for login, including store, search and validation of users' login passwords in hash form and controlled by internal access list for shared spaces and security through semi-transparent encryption of files in transit and in storage on the system, to protect file/data residing on the system from unauthorized access, with encryption/decryption occurring on the user's computer to ensure that files are unreadable by any persons not having the encryption password, and/or managed by users exclusively on their computers without any intervention by server administrators or other personal.

A system for encrypting files and data for storage on and transfer through a network to which a plurality of users are connected, wherein encryption passwords remain under the exclusive control of the owners of the files which are encrypted, the system using a secret (symmetric) key infrastructure, comprising:

• a password manager for each user residing on his local computer, providing a store for his passwords including passwords associated with and agreed by each pair of users on the network and including any connected computer, or each user and other folder/destination, including his private box and subfolders enabling management of his passwords exclusively by the user, the password manager being encrypted by the user's master password so that when the password manager is opened by the user's entering of the master password, the password manager will automatically select the appropriate working password relevant to the destination or origin of encrypted file;
• the file transfer and encryption module receiving the appropriate password from the password manager, the file transfer and encryption module encrypting/decrypting or re-encrypting for a new destination, a file or other data and transfers or stores it from one location to a second location, when the user moves the file by a simple drag/drop or context menu command;
• wherein passwords are exchanged and agreed between users using public key pairs created for each user by the system or the user's own public key pairs in the absence of other key agreement procedures.