Method and system for transmitting sensitive information over a network

摘要

A method ( 300 ) and system for transmitting sensitive information from a client computer to a service provider operating in the INTERNET. The sensitive information (for example a credit card number for carrying out an e-commerce transaction) is split ( 318 ) into several chunks, which are meaningless when taken alone. Each chuck is inserted ( 339 ) into a corresponding data frame, adding noise information. Information about how to extract each chunk from the corresponding data frame and how to use the chunks to reconstruct the original sensitive information is inserted ( 336 ) into a control frame. The data and control frames are distributed ( 354, 363 ) to different interface computers of the INTERNET; the frames are then forwarded ( 366 ) to the server computer, which is not connected to the INTERNET directly but communicates through a secure private network with the interface computers. The server computer extracts ( 369-384 ) the chunks from the data frames and recombines them into the original information according to the content of the control frame.