Partial file encryption

A computer-implemented method for partially encrypting an electronic file, comprising:

• receiving, at a server from a client system, an electronic file to be encrypted;
• identifying one or more portions of the electronic file to be encrypted, based on at least one named text style, the at least one named text style determined by a plug-in to a word processing system executing on a computing system, in the electronic file designating the one or more portions of the electronic file to be encrypted, wherein each of said at least one named text style includes font size settings or font style settings and defines consistently formatted text;
• encrypting, using encryption software, the identified one or more portions of the electronic file to thereby form encrypted one or more portions of the electronic file;
• and
• transmitting at least one encrypted portion of the one or more portions of the electronic file with an unencrypted portion of the electronic file such that unencrypted portions of the electronic file are readable without decryption of the at least one encrypted portion of the one or more portions of the electronic file, wherein transmitting the at least one encrypted portion of the one or more portions of the electronic file includes altering the at least one named text style to appear as at least one block of color with a matching text color and background color.

A computer-implemented method for decrypting a partially encrypted electronic file, comprising:

• receiving, at a server, an electronic file to be decrypted on behalf of a client system through at least one communication channel over which one or more encrypted portions of the electronic file and one or more unencrypted portions of the electronic file are received, wherein the encrypted portions of the electronic file are altered to appear as at least one block of color with a matching text color and background color;
• identifying, the one or more encrypted portions of the electronic file to be decrypted, based on text formatting, the text formatting including font size settings or font style settings, in the electronic file designating the one or more encrypted portions of the electronic file, the text formatting determined by a plug-in to a word processing system executing on a computing system;
• and
• decrypting, the identified one or more encrypted portions of the electronic file using decryption software.

A system for partially encrypting an electronic file, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• memory storing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
• determine by a plug-in word processing system executing on a computing system text formatting;
• identify, by encryption software, one or more portions of the electronic file to be encrypted, based on the text formatting, the text formatting including font size or font style settings, in the electronic file designating the one or more portions of the electronic file to be encrypted;
• encrypt the identified one or more portions of the electronic file using the encryption software to form encrypted portions and non-encrypted portions;
• and
• storing the encrypted portions stored in the electronic file such that a word processing system without a plug-in compatible with the encryption software can properly process the non-encrypted portions of the electronic file, wherein the encrypted portions stored in the electronic file are altered to appear as at least one block of color with a matching text color and background color.

A system for decrypting a partially encrypted electronic file, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• memory storing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
• identify, by the system, one or more encrypted portions of the electronic file to be decrypted, the one or more encrypted portions of the electronic file determined by a plug-in to a word processing system executing on a computing system, based at least in part on at least one named text style, the named text style including font size settings or font style settings and altering the named text style to cause encrypted text having the named text style to appear as at least one block of color with a matching text color and background color, in the electronic file designating the one or more encrypted portions of the electronic file, wherein each of said at least one named text style defines consistently formatted text;
• and
• decrypt the identified one or more encrypted portions of the electronic file using decryption software.

A computer-implemented method for partially encrypting an electronic file, comprising:

• identifying by a plug-in to a word processing system executing on a computing system one or more portions of the electronic file to be encrypted, based on a named text style that defines consistently formatted text, the named text style including font size settings or font style settings, in the electronic file;
• encrypting the identified one or more portions of the electronic file using encryption software to thereby form encrypted one or more portions in the electronic file;
• and
• storing the encrypted one or more portions in the electronic file such that unencrypted portions of the electronic file are readable without the plug-in to the word processing system, and altering the named text style to cause encrypted text having the named text style to appear as at least one block of color with a matching text color and background color.