Method and apparatus for secure processing of sensitive data

摘要

Apparatus for a multiparty electronic service having at least one host computer being operative to maintain and enforce at least one machine-interpretable service specification (contract) for governing a service between the parties that interact in the processing of a service request. The at least one host computer determines, in accordance with the at least one service specification, the validity of a request and conditionally executes a sequence of processing steps as defined in the service specification. The at least one host computer is further operative to conditionally provide notifications to the contract parties. Machine-interpretable service specifications are negotiated between all parties that cooperate in the processing of a request. Machine-interpretable service specifications can be dynamically added to and cancelled from the system.