System and method of delivering confidential electronic files

A private message delivery system comprising:

• a sending computer configured to transmit a private message to a receiving computer over a computer network including at least one third party computer without the at least one third party computer receiving a persistent copy of the private message;
• a system registry configured to evaluate an Internet Protocol address of the receiving computer, wherein the Internet Protocol address of the receiving computer is dynamically established, and further configured to determine when the receiving computer is a private messaging network member of a mail service peer network that includes the sending computer based on the evaluation of the Internet Protocol address of the receiving computer and also configured to determine when the receiving computer is directly addressable by the sending computer and also configured to provide network location information of the sending computer to the receiving computer and also configured to resolve a delivery address of the receiving computer at the time of transmission of the private message;
• an encrypted line established at the time of transmission of the private message to traverse the computer network from the receiving computer to the sending computer, where the encrypted line is a direct communications path through which the private message is sent from the sending computer to the receiving computer, where the direct communications path provides no persistent copies of the private message to the at least one third party computer;
• a signaling computer configured to notify the receiving computer that the private message is waiting for delivery;
• and
• a verification agent configured to verify the receiving computer's identity with a protocol specified by the sending computer and further configured to provide access instructions to the receiving computer with which the receiving computer locates the sending computer via the dynamically established encrypted line and receives the transmitted electronic document;
• checking the system registry and determining when the recipient of the private message on the receiving computer is the private messaging network member;
• and
• establishing a direct the communication path between the sending computer and the receiving computer when the sending computer is the member of the private messaging network and the receiving computer is a non-member of the private messaging network, by notifying the receiving computer through a non-private message comprising an embedded link to directly access the private message from the sending computer, and the receiving computer launches a system web client that contacts the system registry to locate the sending computer, where the direct communications path provides no persistent copy and storage of the private message by an intermediary device.