Abstract: A method of providing secure communications over a network includes receiving, at a receiving computer, a public key of a sending computer, and a hash of a sending random number over a first communication channel, transmitting, from the receiving computer, a public key of the receiving computer and a receiving random number provided by the receiving computer over the first communication channel, and receiving, at the receiving computer, the sending random number provided by the sending computer over the first communication channel.

Abstract: Techniques for providing privacy protection are provided. A query is received. Privacy policy information, extracted knowledge and optional information about available public information are determined. Information about the knowledge extraction transformations applied to create the extracted knowledge and the source data is determined. Privacy protecting transformations are determined and applied to transform the extracted knowledge based on the selected privacy policy, optional information about available public information, the characteristics of the applied knowledge extractions transformations, the source data and optional previous user queries.

Abstract: Techniques for protecting non-public information in a mobile environment are provided. A request for non-public information about users in a mobile environment is received. Privacy policies, non-public and optional public information about the users affected by the request are determined. An optional privacy impact indicator is determined based on how satisfying the request increases the current public information about the users. Crowds of users having similar attribute name/values are optionally determined. User and optional requestor privacy policies which associate threshold release criteria such minimum crowd size, minimum consideration with the non-public information are determined. A privacy agreement is reached for the disclosure of the requested non-public information based on the compatibility of the requester and user privacy policies. Privacy protecting transformations are optionally determined and applied to create crowds or groups associated with the requested attribute.