ENCRYPTION AND TOKENIZATION ARCHITECTURES
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods, systems and computer program products for conducting an online transaction on a website involving sensitive information. Such embodiments provide methods, systems and computer program products to: (a) register at least one entity with a gate keeper module, the registering comprising associating the entity with a subscription level; (b) associate a sub-string of a character string with a unique token so that a direct link does not exist between the unique token and the character string; and (c) during processing of the online transaction: (i) using the unique token for intermediate steps during the processing of the online transaction; and (ii) only accessing the character string in storage memory to complete the online transaction after receiving a request from at least one registered entity associated with a subscription level associated with a privilege to receive the requested sensitive information.
1 . A method for conducting an online transaction on a website involving sensitive information, the method comprising the steps of:
registering at least one entity with a gate keeper module, the registering comprising associating the at least one entity with a subscription level;
associating a sub-string of a character string with a unique token so that a direct link does not exist between the unique token and the character string, the character string comprising the sensitive information and the sub-string being configured to identify the character string without revealing the sensitive information; and
during processing of the online transaction:
using the unique token for intermediate steps during the processing of the online transaction; and
only accessing the character string in storage memory using the unique token and the sub-string to retrieve the sensitive information and to complete the online transaction using the information for the online transaction and the sensitive information after receiving a request for the sensitive information from at least one of the at least one registered entity associated with a subscription level associated with a privilege to receive the requested sensitive information.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the online transaction is a purchase on the website and the character string is a credit card number for use to make the purchase.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the sub-string is a last four digits of the credit card number for use to make the purchase.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the storage memory is remote from where the record is saved.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the character string is stored as encrypted data in the storage memory.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the character string is stored as a record in a database within the storage memory.
7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of verifying that a computer device or a user retrieving the sensitive information is authorized to access the character string.
8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
receiving a request to display the sub-string on the website during the online transaction, the request comprising the unique token; and
displaying the sub-string on the website during the online transaction without revealing the sensitive information.
9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
using the unique token during the online transaction to access and retrieve the sub-string without accessing the character string.
10 . A system for conducting an online transaction on a website involving sensitive information, the system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more storage devices coupled to the one or more processors and adapted for storing a character string;
wherein the one or more processors execute a gatekeeper module to:
register at least one entity with the gatekeeper module, the registering comprising associating the at least one entity with a subscription level;
associate a unique token with a sub-string of a character string wherein a direct link does not exist between the unique token and the character string, the character string comprising the sensitive information and the sub-string being configured to identify the character string without revealing the sensitive information; and
during processing of the online transaction:
use the unique token for intermediate steps during the processing of the online transaction; and
only access the character string in the one or more storage devices using the unique token and the sub-string-to retrieve the sensitive information and to complete the online transaction using the information for the online transaction and the sensitive information after receiving a request for the sensitive information from at least one of the at least one registered entity associated with a subscription level associated with a privilege to receive the requested sensitive information.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the online transaction is a purchase on the website and the character string is a credit card number for use to make the purchase.
12 . The system of claim 11 wherein the sub-string is a last four digits of the credit card number for use to make the purchase.
13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more storage devices are remote from where the record is saved.
14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the character string is stored as encrypted data in the one or more storage devices.
15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the character string is stored as a record in a database within the one or more storage devices.
16 . The system of claim 10 wherein the one or more processors further execute the gatekeeper module to verify that a computer device or a user retrieving the sensitive information is authorized to access the character string.
17 . The system of claim 10 wherein the one or more processors further execute the gatekeeper module to:
receive a request to display the sub-string on the website during the online transaction, the request comprising the unique token; and
display the sub-string on the website during the online transaction without revealing the sensitive information.
18 . The system of claim 10 wherein the one or more processors further execute the gatekeeper module to:
use the unique token during the online transaction to access and retrieve the sub-string without accessing the character string.
19 . A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
an executable portion configured to register at least one entity with the gatekeeper module, the registering comprising associating the at least one entity with a subscription level;
an executable portion configured to associate a unique token with a sub-string of a character string wherein a direct link does not exist between the unique token and the character string, the character string comprising the sensitive information and the sub-string being configured to identify the character string without revealing the sensitive information; and
during processing of the online transaction:
an executable portion configured to use the unique token for intermediate steps during the processing of the online transaction; and
an executable portion configured to only access the character string in one or more storage devices using the unique token and the sub-string to retrieve the sensitive information and to complete the online transaction using the information for the online transaction and the sensitive information after receiving a request for the sensitive information from at least one of the at least one registered entity associated with a subscription level associated with a privilege to receive the requested sensitive information.
20 . The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the online transaction is a purchase on the website and the character string is a credit card number for use to make the purchase.
21 . The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the sub-string is a last four digits of the credit card number for use to make the purchase.
22 . The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the one or more storage devices are remote from where the record is saved.
23 . The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the character string is stored as encrypted data in the one or more storage devices.
24 . The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the character string is stored as a record in a database within the one or more storage devices.
25 . The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:
an executable portion configured to execute the gatekeeper module to verify that a computer device or a user retrieving the sensitive information is authorized to access the character string.
26 . The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:
an executable portion configured to receive a request to display the sub-string on the website during the online transaction, the request comprising the unique token; and
an executable portion configured to display the sub-string on the website during the online transaction without revealing the sensitive information.
27 . The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:
an executable portion configured to use the unique token during the online transaction to access and retrieve the sub-string without accessing the character string.
28 . The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:
an executable portion configured to receive a request to display the sub-string on the website during the online transaction, the request comprising the unique token;
an executable portion configured to use the unique token during the online transaction to access and retrieve the sub-string without accessing the character string; and
an executable portion configured to display the sub-string on the website during the online transaction without revealing the sensitive information.