Message handling with format translation and key management
First Claim
1. A method for message handling over a wide area network, the wide area network including a first computer, a second computer and a key server computer, wherein there is a first address associated with the first computer and a second address associated with the second computer, the method comprising the steps of:
- maintaining a key repository of public keys for a plurality of users on the key server computer;
generating a message by a first user for a second user addressed to the second computer;
accessing with the first computer the key repository on the key server computer to determine whether there is a public key associated with the second computer address stored in the key repository;
when there is a public key associated with the second computer address stored in the key repository, downloading said associated public key to the first computer;
encrypting the generated message using the downloaded public key; and
transmitting the encrypted message from the first computer to the second computer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A subscribing user generates a private key and a corresponding public key stored locally in a “key-ring.” The public key is uploaded to a key repository on a communications server, where public keys of subscribers are maintained. When sending a secure message, the sender'"'"'s key-ring is checked to determine whether the public key for the recipient is present. If yes, then the public key is used to encrypt the message. If no, then a lookup request is sent to the server to determine whether a public key is available for the recipient. If there is, then the public key is downloaded from the repository to the sender. When the recipient receives the secure message, the recipient'"'"'s private key is used to decrypt the message. The sender'"'"'s most recent public key also is transmitted with the message and stored in the recipient'"'"'s key-ring for future messages sent back to the key owner. Automated key management features are included.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for message handling over a wide area network, the wide area network including a first computer, a second computer and a key server computer, wherein there is a first address associated with the first computer and a second address associated with the second computer, the method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a key repository of public keys for a plurality of users on the key server computer;
generating a message by a first user for a second user addressed to the second computer;
accessing with the first computer the key repository on the key server computer to determine whether there is a public key associated with the second computer address stored in the key repository;
when there is a public key associated with the second computer address stored in the key repository, downloading said associated public key to the first computer;
encrypting the generated message using the downloaded public key; and
transmitting the encrypted message from the first computer to the second computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for message handling over a wide area network, the wide are network including a first computer, a second computer and a key server computer, wherein there is a first address associated with the first computer and a second address associated with the second computer, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a private key and a corresponding public key for a first user on the first computer, wherein said corresponding public key is used for encrypting messages intended to be received by the first user, and wherein the private key is used for decrypting messages which have been encrypted using the corresponding public key;
transmitting from the first computer to the key server computer a request that a token be sent back to the first computer at a first user address;
generating and storing the token on the key server computer, wherein the token is associated with the first user address;
sending the token to the first user address;
receiving the token at the first computer;
transmitting from the first computer to the key server computer a request to add the public key of the first user into a key repository maintained by the key server computer, wherein included with the request to add the public key is the token;
verifying that the token received at the key server computer is the same as the token stored for the first user address; and
when the token is successfully verified as being the token stored for the first user address, storing the requested public key into the key repository.
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12. A message handling system, comprising:
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a message services server, comprising a key repository database and a subscriber request processor, wherein the key repository comprises public keys for a plurality of users having corresponding user addresses;
a plurality of computers wherein each one computer of the plurality of computers has access to other computers of the plurality of computers and to the message services server, each one computer of the plurality of computers comprising;
a key database and a message processor for handling secure messages;
wherein the subscriber request processor responds to requests from the plurality of computers, the requests comprising a lookup request, an upload request and a token request;
the lookup request being to find a public key in the key repository associated with a specific user address;
an upload request being to upload a public key associated with a user address from the requesting computer of the plurality of computers into the key repository; and
a token request being to have the message services server transmit a token to a requesting computer of the plurality of computers, the token used by the requesting computer during a subsequent upload request to validate sad subsequent request. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for sending messages from a client computer onto a wide area network, comprising the steps of:
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formatting a message into at least a header portion and a body portion to achieve a prepared message;
receiving a user command to send the prepared message;
intercepting at a client computer the prepared message prior to transmitting the prepared message over a wide area network;
performing an operation on the prepared message to achieve a transformed message; and
transmitting the transformed message over the wide area network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for handling incoming messages to a client computer from a wide area network, comprising the steps of:
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intercepting an incoming message;
directing the incoming message into a common in-box for messages of varying protocols;
processing messages in the in-box prior to viewing by a user, wherein specific access points are available during the step of processing to perform specific operations on the message being processed;
accessing the incoming message in the in-box being processed and transforming the incoming message from a first protocol used for sending the message into a different protocol. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method for handling incoming messages to a client computer from a wide area network, comprising the steps of:
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intercepting an incoming message prior to being fully received;
testing the incoming message for presence of a virus;
determining handling of the incoming message according to a result of the testing step;
when a virus is not detected, directing the incoming message into a common in box for messages of varying protocols;
processing messages in the in box prior to viewing by a user, wherein specific access points are available during the step of processing to perform specific operations on the message being processed. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification