Registry

A method of holding a document in escrow on behalf of an individual, the method including, in a processing system:

• obtaining an electronic version of the document and a digital signature of the individual, the digital signature being at least partially indicative of document content and an identity of the individual;
• encrypting the document so that the document can be decrypted using a decryption key;
• storing the encrypted document in a data store, wherein the decryption key is defined by at least three key fragments, each key fragment being associated with a respective entity and the key fragments being arranged so that the decryption key can be constructed from any two key fragments thereby allowing the document to be decrypted and released from escrow using the key fragments of any two of the entities, each key fragment being stored in a store together with an indication of an identity of the respective entity, wherein the entities include:
• the individual;
• and,
• at least two entities nominated by the individual;
• receiving an indication of an authorised notifying party;
• storing the indication of the authorised notifying party in the data store;
• receiving, from a notifying party, a notification indicative that a defined trigger event has occurred;
• determining if the notifying party is the authorised notifying party based on the indication of the authorised notifying party stored in the data store;
• in response to the notifying party corresponding to the authorised notifying party, determining that a defined trigger event has occurred;
• in response to the notifying party not corresponding to the authorised notifying party:
• transferring a request to the authorised notifying party requesting confirmation that a defined trigger event has occurred;
• and,
• in response to receiving confirmation from the authorised notifying party, determining that a defined trigger event has occurred;
• determining the document is to be released from escrow in response to determining that a defined trigger event has occurred;
• determining at least two of the entities authorised to receive the document upon release;
• transferring requests to the at least two of the entities requesting respective digital signatures;
• in response to receiving the respective digital signatures:
• validating the identity of each of the at least two of the entities using the respective digital signatures;
• and,
• retrieving the key fragments associated with the at least two of the entities from the store;
• constructing the decryption key from the key fragments associated with the at least two of the entities;
• using the constructed decryption key to decrypt the document;
• and,
• releasing the document to the at least two of the entities.