Object with identity based encryption

1. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium having instructions embodied therein that when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for encrypting an object, said method comprising:

creating a workflow order for said object;

receiving public parameters from a key generation center at a computer associated with an object master;

generating a public key, at said computer system, based on a user identifier and said public parameters, wherein said user identifier is comprised of user related information;

encrypting said object using said public key such that said object cannot be opened without a private key corresponding to said public key, wherein said object is a composite document comprising multiple elements of documents of different formats, and wherein said private key is generated in response to a request from an authenticated user using said user identifier at said key generation center; and

controlling access to said multiple elements of said object based on said workflow order such that an order in which workflow participants may access the object is automatically enforced.

2. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said creating said workflow order further comprises creating a set or series of key maps for said object, with at least one key-map per a workflow participant, and where a participant could have more than one key-map provided.

3. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending said object to at least one participant.

4. The non-transitory computer-usablestorage medium of claim 1 , wherein said at least one participant can only obtain said private key during a specified time frame.

5. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said object is a publicly posted composite document.

6. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein said user identifier is selected from the group of user identifiers consisting of: an email address and an extended user identity.

7. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein a Boneh-Frankrn scheme is used to generate said public key and said private key.

8. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium having instructions embodied therein that when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for generating a private key for an encrypted object, said method comprising:

receiving a request from a participant for a private key at a computer system associated with a key generation center, wherein said private key is for accessing an object comprised of a plurality of files and operates such that an order in which workflow participants may access said object is automatically enforced;

authenticating said participant based on a user identifier comprised of user related information received from said participant;

generating said private key at said computer system based on said user identifier and on public parameters previously generated by said key generation center, said private key corresponding to a public key; and

sending said private key to said participant.

9. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 8 wherein said object is a publicly posted composite document.

10. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 8 wherein said authenticating further comprises only authenticating said participant during a predetermined time frame.

11. The non-transitory computer-u able storage medium of claim 8 wherein said generating said private key occurs after a creation of said object and said public key.

12. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 8 wherein a Boneh-Franklin scheme is used to generate said public key and said private key.

13. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium having instructions embodied therein that when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for accessing an encrypted object, said method comprising:

receiving an object at a computer system associated with a participant, wherein said object is encrypted with identity based encryption;

sending a user identifier and a request for a private key from said computer system to a key generation center;

receiving said private key at said computer system from said key generation center wherein said private key is based on said user identifier and on public parameters previously generated by said key generation center; and

accessing said object using said private key at said computer system such that an order in which workflow participants may access said object is automatically enforced,

14. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 13 wherein said receiving said private key can only occur during a predetermined time frame.

15. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 13 wherein said user identifier is selected from the group of user identifiers consisting of: an email address and an extended user identity.

16. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 13 wherein said object is associated with a workflow order and a key map for said object.

17. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 13 wherein said object is received from said object master.

18. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 13 wherein a Boneh-Franklin scheme is used to generate said private key.

19. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 13 wherein said receiving said private key can occur using one of a plurality of key generation centers.

20. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 13 wherein said object is a publicly posted composite document.