A method, apparatus and computer program product are disclosed to provide for the selective establishment and use of secure communication channels to facilitate the exchange of data objects containing potentially sensitive information in a network environment. In some example implementations, upon detection that the processing of a network entity request implicates the exchange of non-public information amongst one or more other network entities, one or more secure communication channels are established between a secure transfer system and the relevant network entities such that non-public information neither passes to nor resides on system components associated with non-secure network entities.