A method and data processing apparatus for performing automated trust negotiations between first and second parties connected over a network can include providing each party with a set of credentials. The method also can include classifying one or more credentials in the set of credentials for the first party as sensitive, such that they can only be disclosed to another party subject to certain predetermined criteria. The method further can include establishing negotiations over the network between the first and second parties in order to complete a desired transaction, wherein the transaction is only authorized to proceed if at least one of the parties receives certain predetermined credentials from the other party. Finally, the method can include transmitting at least one of the one or more sensitive credentials from the first party to the second party as part of said negotiations, subject to the first party previously receiving from the second party one or more credentials that satisfy said certain predetermined criteria.