Method and apparatus for securing e-mail attachments

Abstract

In accordance with a first aspect, a method for operating an electronic device adapted to be electronically coupled to at least one microprocessor based device and prevent unauthorized access to data exchanged between the at least one microprocessor based device and other microprocessor based devices, the method including: in a first mode, establishing a secure point-to-point communications session with another like device and receiving security data from the other like device, the security data being associated with an intended recipient microprocessor based device; and, in a second mode, receiving the data from an originating one of the at least one microprocessor based devices, encrypting the data using at least the received security data and sending the encrypted data to the originating microprocessor based device. In accordance with a second aspect, a method for exchanging data between a plurality of suitable microprocessor based devices over a computer network so as to frustrate unauthorized access to the data, the method including: identifying at least first and second recipients for the data to be exchanged; identifying first security data associated with the first recipient and second security data associated with the second recipient; and, encrypting the data using the first and second security data.