Database system for protecting and securing stored data using a privacy switch

1. A method of maintaining user privacy when storing a user data record associated with a user in a database, comprising:

receiving by a user communication device associated with the user over a communications network at least one of a plurality of user attributes in the user data record that is designated as a private attribute, the private attribute being replaced in the user data record by a designated identifier that uniquely identifies the private attribute while obfuscating the private attribute;

storing the private attribute in a memory associated with the user communication device;

generating, with the user communication device, a credential representing the private attribute that is authenticated upon being verified by a verifying entity without disclosing the private attribute, the verifying entity being configured to receive and respond to a request for verification of the designated identifier from a second entity having authorized access to the database, the verifying entity being further configured to send the private attribute to the second entity only when the credential is verified; and

sending the credential and the designated identifier from the user communication device to the verifying entity in response to a request from the verifying entity.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the user communication device, a request from the verifying entity that is sent only when the credential is verified, for receipt of the private attribute and, in response thereto, sending the private attribute to the verifying entity.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second entity includes a first executable computer code associated with a database provider of the database, the first executable computer code being executed in a virtual machine environment.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the verifying entity includes a second executable computer code that is executed in a virtual machine environment and which is in a common session with the first executable computer code.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein sending the credential and the designated identifier includes sending the credential and the designated identifier in the common session from a third executable computer code that is executed in a virtual machine environment and which is associated with the user communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user data record includes an encrypted data object in which the private attribute is encrypted.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a plurality of the user attributes in the user data record are designated as private attributes.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the designated identifier in user data record uniquely identifies all of the private attributes that have been designated.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the encrypted data object in the user data record encrypts a concatenation of the private attributes that have been designated.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the private attribute is a key attribute of the user data record.