E-mail authentication

• US 10,284,597 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gary S. Shuster
• Original Assignee: Gary S. Shuster
• Inventors: Shuster, Gary Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Dada, Beemnet W
• Application Number:
  US13/752,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20140215571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,290 Days
• Field of Search: 713168, 713170, 709206, 709207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1483 service impersonation, e.g. phishing, pharming or web spoofing detection of rogue wireless access points H04W12/12

Abstract

A system and method for determining whether an e-mail originates from a sender authorized by an address provider to send the e-mail to an intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address. The e-mail identifies an address provider from which the intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address was obtained. The e-mail is delivered to the intended recipient only upon verification that the sender is authorized by the address provider to obtain the intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address. The system and method may also provide for determining whether an e-mail originates from a forged source. A server receives data relating to an e-mail, including a purported sender and a verification host. The server queries the verification host with information pertaining to the e-mail and requests confirmation that the e-mail originates from the purported sender. The e-mail is determined to originate from a forged source unless the verification host responds that the e-mail originates from the purported sender.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether at least one e-mail originates from a forged source, the method comprising:

receiving data at a client device pertaining to the least one e-mail directed to at least one intended recipient, wherein the data includes information identifying a purported sender;

sending a query from the client device to a verification host requesting confirmation that the at least one e-mail originated from the purported sender, wherein the query includes information identifying the at least one e-mail comprising at least one of at least a portion of text contained in a message body of the e-mail or a hash of the at least a portion of the text;

receiving, by the client device, a response from the verification host indicating whether or not the at least one e-mail originated from the purported sender based on whether the purported sender sent an e-mail that matches the information identifying the at least one e-mail to the intended recipient; and

determining that the at least one e-mail originates from a forged source unless the response indicates that the at least one e-mail originated from the purported sender.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information identifying the purported sender includes any one or more of the following:

an e-mail address, a domain name, and an IP address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification host is a server operated by the purported sender.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of querying the verification host is conducted via a two-way transmission channel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information identifying the at least one e-mail further comprises any one or more selected from the group consisting of:

a hash value, a checksum, a digest of the e-mail, and an authorization code.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein delivery of the at least one e-mail to the intended recipient is prevented if the e-mail is determined to not have originated from the purported sender.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an address for the verification host from information contained in the at least one e-mail.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining an identity of hosts authorized to transmit e-mails for the purported sender.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining an identity of hosts authorized to transmit e-mails for the purported sender.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein delivery of the at least one e-mail to the at least one intended recipient is prevented if the at least one e-mail is not being transmitted from an authorized host.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification host comprises a third party server authorized by the purported source.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one e-mail is a plurality of e-mails and wherein a single query is provided for the plurality of e-mails.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein delivery of the plurality of e-mails to the intended recipients is allowed only if every one of the plurality of e-mails is determined to have originated from the purported sender.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the response from the verification host indicates that at least one of the plurality of e-mails does not originate from the purported sender.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of dividing the plurality of e-mails into a plurality of groups.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of querying the verification host to confirm that the e-mails in the plurality of groups originates from the purported senders.

17. An apparatus comprising a processor operatively coupled to a memory, the memory holding instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving data pertaining to the least one e-mail directed to at least one intended recipient, wherein the data includes information identifying a purported sender;

sending a query to a verification host requesting confirmation that the at least one e-mail originated from the purported sender, wherein the query includes information identifying the at least one e-mail comprising at least one of at least a portion of text contained in a message body of the e-mail or a hash of the at least a portion of the text;

receiving a response from the verification host indicating whether or not the at least one e-mail originated from the purported sender based on whether the purported sender sent an e-mail that matches the information identifying the at least one e-mail to the intended recipient; and

determining that the at least one e-mail originates from a forged source unless the response indicates that the at least one e-mail originated from the purported sender.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the instructions further specify that the information identifying the at least one e- mail further comprises any one or more selected from the group consisting of:

a hash value, a checksum, a digest of the e-mail, and an authorization code.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise determining an address for the verification host from information contained in the at least one e-mail.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the instructions further specify that at least one e-mail is a plurality of e-mails and wherein a single query is provided for the plurality of e-mails.