SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE STORAGE USING OFFLINE PUBLIC KEYS

There is described a method of storing at least one Digital data item of a user; said user characterised by proof of identity data; said method comprising : constructing a data pool; said data pool comprising a digital data record which Includes said at least one digital data item and said proof of identity data; said user associating an ID number selected by the user with the data pool; encrypting the data pool using a symmetric key of a symmetric encryption algorithm so as to form a symmetric encrypted data pool; encrypting the symmetric key using a public key of an asymmetric encryption algorithm so as to form an asymmetric encrypted symmetric key; storing on a server the symmetric encrypted data pool referenced against and together with the ID number and the asymmetric encrypted symmetric key and the public key; said server selectively connectable to the Internet; storing in an off-line storage facility the public key and its associated private key. Also described is a method of recovering said at least one Digital item stored on said server; said method comprising : said user providing an independent nondigital agent with said ID number; said independent nondigital agent accessing said server so as to recover the symmetric encrypted data pool referenced against and together with the ID number and the asymmetric encrypted symmetric key and the public key; said independent nondigital agent accessing the off-line storage facility thereby to recover from said off-line storage facility the public key and its associated private key; said independent nondigital agent utilising the private key to decrypt the asymmetric encrypted symmetric key thereby to recover the symmetric key; said independent nondigital agent utilising the symmetric key and the symmetric encryption algorithm to decrypt the symmetric encrypted data pool so as to recover the data pool; said independent nondigital agent accessing the proof of identity data contained in the data pool; said independent nondigital agent communicating with said user which provided said ID number by entering into a communication interaction so as to verify the identity of said user with reference to said proof of identity data to a predetermined level of certainty; if said independent nondigital agent via said communication interaction verifies the identity of said user to said predetermined level of certainty then said independent nondigital agent communicates said at least one Digital data item to said user.