Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media for securely sending a digital message from a sending device (1) to a recipient device (3) over an open network (4) such as the Internet. In a method embodiment of the present invention, a system controller (5) instructs the sending device (1) to segment the message into a finite number of segments having variable lengths; and assigns a variable number of relay (2) hops to each segment. The segments then flow from the sending device (1) to the recipient device (3) via several layers of conventional network relays (2). At least some of the segments are encrypted, by the sending device (1) and/or by one or more autonomous agent modules (30) operating on the relays (2). This invention makes it virtually impossible to track what is happening at the relays (2), or to identify the intended recipient (3). This virtually eliminates network traffic analysis as a viable means of compromising the security of the communications.