Encryption and tokenization architectures

Abstract

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.

What I claim is: 
     
         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.