Secure email time stamping

• US 20040003255A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Storage Technology Corp (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Storage Technology Corp (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Klunker, Robert, Apvrille, Axelle
• Application Number:
  US10/184,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20040003255A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/178
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/121 Timestamp
• 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 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity

Abstract

A server includes a dedicated hardware card that is responsible for digesting an incoming email, appending a date and time to the digest to create a time stamp, and signing the result with a private digital signature. This provides a secure time stamp for an email that is resistant to falsification and tampering by the sender of an email, and which can be verified by a recipient of the email.

Claims

1. A server, comprising:

means for providing email transfer;

time stamping hardware;

wherein the time stamping hardware adds a time stamp to an email message, and adds a digital signature to the time stamp.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the time stamp is appended to the body of the email message.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein email is transferred using simple mail transfer protocol.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein the time stamp includes a public key certificate.

5. The server of claim 4, wherein the public key is used to verify integrity of the time stamp by a time stamp verification application.

6. The server of claim 1, wherein the time stamping hardware updates a time and date via an external source.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein a sending email program requests that the time stamp be added to the email message.

8. A computer system, comprising:

a server;

time stamping hardware;

wherein the time stamping hardware digests an incoming mail message, adds a time stamp to the incoming mail message, and signs the time stamp with an encrypted key.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the time stamp comprises a digest of the incoming mail message and the date and time the incoming mail message was received.

10. A method of providing secure time stamping to emails, comprising the steps of:

digesting at least part of a received email message;

adding a date and time to the email message;

adding a digital signature to the message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the date and time are obtained from an internal clock.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the internal clock is updated from an external source.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital signature is appended to a digest, wherein the digest comprises information associated with the incoming email message and the date and time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the digest is appended to the email message.

15. A method of providing secure email time stamping, comprising the step of:

adding a time stamp to an incoming email using cryptographic hardware residing in a server.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the time stamp includes a digest of the incoming email, date, time, and a digital signature.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the time stamp is verified by a public key to the digital signature.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the time stamp is appended to the body of the email.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the time stamp is added by dedicated hardware residing on the server.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the server is an SMTP server.

21. A computer system, comprising:

an email program capable of receiving an incoming email and displaying the email to a user;

wherein when the email program receives an email with a time stamp signed with a digital signature, digital signature is verified.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the email with the time stamp includes a public key to the digital signature.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the email program acquires a public key to the digital signature from a remote location.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the email program verifies the digital signature without user intervention.