Apparatus and method for controlling unauthorized dissemination of electronic mail

• US 20030149732A1
• Filed: 02/04/2003
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Forcepoint LLC (Francisco Partners Management LLC)
• Original Assignee: Vidius, Inc. (Francisco Partners Management LLC)
• Inventors: Carny, Ofir, Peled, Ariel
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection

Abstract

A method for classification and enforcement of security requirements in an information dissemination system, said information dissemination system not being designed for said security requirements and enforcement. The method comprising the steps of: accepting a user specification of said security requirements for dissemination of respective information, said specifying is done using a user interface; Associating with said dissemination system an enforcement module, said module being operable to receive said security requirements and apply them to control dissemination via said dissemination system, and then enforcing said dissemination via said module.

Claims

1. A method for classification and enforcement of security requirements in an information dissemination system, said information dissemination system not being designed for said security requirements and enforcement, the method comprising the steps of:

accepting a user specification of said security requirements for dissemination of respective information, said specifying is done using a user interface;

Associating with said dissemination system an enforcement module, said module being operable to receive said security requirements and apply them to control dissemination via said dissemination system, and

enforcing said dissemination via said module.

2. A method according to claim 1 comprising obtaining said security requirements implicitly, by utilizing user classification of said information

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said classification comprises at least one of the following:

an identity of said information;

a specified authorized recipient group of said information;

a specified authorized recipient of said information;

an authorized sender group of said information;

an authorized sender of said information;

a specified security level of said information;

a specified allowed destination and sending method of said information;

an allowed sending method of said information;

a specified confidentiality level of said information;

a secrecy level of said information; and

a subject of said information.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said security requirements comprise requirements about at least one of the following:

an authorized recipient group of said information;

an authorized recipient of said information;

an authorized sender group of said information;

an authorized sender of said information;

a security level of said information;

an allowed destination and sending method of said information; and

an allowed sending method of said information.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said information comprises at least one of the following:

at least one E-mail message;

at least one document; and

at least one file.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said security requirements are associated with said information viastorage in at least one of the following ways:

embedding in the information;

embedding as meta data;

embedding as access control data;

Storing in a database; and

Storing in said enforcement module.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said information comprises at least one E-mail message, and wherein said security requirements are embedded in at least one of the following:

at least one attachment;

in meta data;

in access control data;

in at least one header; and

in said message'"'"'s body.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said enforcement module comprises at least one of the following:

a mail server add-in operable to interface a mail server and to enforce said security requirements on mail traffic of said mail server; and

a mail security server operable to intercept mail messages from a mail server and enforce said security requirements on mail traffic of said mail server.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said information dissemination system comprises software, and wherein said method is implemented by at least one of the following:

implementing an extension to the information dissemination system;

intrinsic support within the information dissemination system;

at least one external software utility;

at least one COM object;

at least one COM object utilizing add-in interface in said information dissemination system;

at least one outlook™

plug-in;

extending the meaning of at least one existing data storage field;

extending the meaning of at least one existing data field in a protocol;

extending the meaning of at least one existing data entry field in an existing user interface;

changing enumerated type ranges;

expanding enumerated type ranges;

providing an additional user interface;

Providing an additional user interface to be supported by handling at least one event in the dissemination software;

providing an additional user interface to be supported by at least one additional property sheet;

providing an additional user interface to be supported by at least one additional command bar;

providing an additional user interface to be supported by at least one additional command bar button;

providing an additional user interface to be supported by at least one COM object;

providing an additional user interface to be supported by at least one ActiveX control;

providing an additional user interface supported by at least one COM object utilizing an add-in interface in said dissemination software;

providing an additional user interface to be supported by at least one outlook plug-in;

providing an additional user interface to be supported by implementing at least one extension to the mailing software;

providing an additional user interface to be supported by intrinsic support within the mailing software; and

providing an additional user interface to be supported by at least one external software utility.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said enforcement comprises at least one of the following:

blocking said dissemination of said information;

requiring authorization by an authorized party for the sending of said information;

changing said information;

removing parts of said information;

logging dissemination of said information; and

alerting about dissemination of said information.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said information dissemination system comprises at least one of the following:

IBM Lotus notes™

;

IBM lotus domino server;

Microsoft exchange™

;

Microsoft Outlook™

; and

Microsoft outlook express™

.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein said information dissemination system comprises Microsoft Outlook™

and said method is implemented by utilizing at least one of the following fields;

categories;

user properties;

companies;

sensitivity;

importance;

mileage; and

billing.

13. A system for classification and enforcement of security requirements operating in conjunction with an information dissemination system, said information dissemination system not being designed for managing security, said system for classification and enforcement of security requirements comprising:

a user interface for specifying said security requirements for dissemination of a said information; and

an enforcement module associable with said information dissemination system, operable to receive said security requirements from said interface and to perform said enforcement via said association..

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein said interface is for receiving classification data for said information, and wherein said security requirements are derived from said classification data..

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein said classification data comprises at least one of the following:

identity data of said information;

a specified authorized recipient group for said information;

an authorized recipient for said information;

an authorized sender group for said information;

an authorized sender for said information;

a security level for said information;

an allowed destination and sending method for said information;

an allowed sending method for said information;

a confidentiality level for said information;

a secrecy level for said information; and

a subject for said information.

16. A system according to claim 13 wherein said security requirements comprise requirements about at least one of the following:

an authorized recipient group of said information;

an authorized recipient of said information;

an authorized sender group for said information;

an authorized sender of said information;

a security level of said information;

an allowed destination and sending method for said information; and

an allowed sending method for said information.

17. A system according to claim 13 wherein said information comprises at least one of the following:

at least one E-mail message;

at least one document; and

at least one file.

18. A system according to claim 13 wherein said security requirements are stored in at least one of the following ways:

by embedding in the information;

by embedding in meta data;

by embedding in the access control data;

by storing in a database; and

by storing in said enforcement module.

19. A system according to claim 13 wherein said information comprises at least one E-mail message, and wherein said security requirements are embedded in at least one of the following:

at least one attachment;

in meta data;

in the access control data;

in at least one header; and

in said message'"'"'s body.

20. A system according to claim 13 wherein said enforcement module comprises at least one of the following:

a mail server add-in operable to interface a mail server and to enforce said security requirements on mail traffic of said mail server; and

A mail security server operable to intercept mail messages from a mail server and enforce said security requirements on mail traffic of said mail server.

21. A system according to claim 13 wherein said information dissemination system comprises software, and wherein said system for classification and enforcement of security requirements is implemented by at least one of the following:

implementing an extension to the information dissemination system;

intrinsic support within the information dissemination system;

at least one external software utility;

at least one COM object;

at least one COM object utilizing add-in interface in said dissemination software;

at least one outlook™

plug-in;

extending the meaning of at least one existing data storage field;

extending the meaning of at least one existing data field in a protocol;

extending the meaning of at least one existing data entry field in an existing user interface;

changing enumerated type ranges;

expanding enumerated type ranges;

an additional user interface;

an additional user interface to be supported by handling at least one event in the dissemination software;

an additional user interface to be supported by at least one additional property sheet;

an additional user interface to be supported by at least one additional command bar;

an additional user interface to be supported by at least one additional command bar button;

an additional user interface to be supported by at least one COM object;

an additional user interface to be supported by at least one ActiveX control;

an additional user interface to be supported by at least one COM object utilizing an add-in interface in said dissemination software;

an additional user interface to be supported by at least one outlook™

plug-in;

an additional user interface to be supported by implementing at least one extension to the mailing software;

an additional user interface to be supported by intrinsic support within the mailing software; and

an additional user interface to be supported by at least one external software utility.

22. A system according to claim 13 wherein said enforcement module is operable to carry out enforcing by at least one of the following:

blocking said dissemination of said information;

requiring authorization by an authorized party for the sending of said information;

changing said information;

removing parts of said information;

logging dissemination of said information; and

alerting about dissemination of said information.

23. A system according to claim 13 wherein said information dissemination system comprises at least one of the following:

IBM Lotus notes™

;

IBM lotus domino server;

Microsoft exchange™

;

Microsoft Outlook™

; and

Microsoft outlook express™

.

24. A system according to claim 13 wherein said information dissemination system comprises Microsoft Outlook™

and said system for classification and enforcement of security requirements is implemented by utilizing at least one of the following fields;

categories;

user properties;

companies;

sensitivity;

importance;

mileage; and

billing.