Authentication method for preventing delivery of junk electronic mail
First Claim
1. An authentication method for preventing receipt of undesirable (junk or spam) electronic mail (e-mail) by an intended recipient of e-mail messages, the steps comprising:
- (a) providing an authentication database comprising a plurality of e-mail addresses of trusted e-mail source addresses from whence e-mail is acceptable;
(b) receiving a raw e-mail message from a sender by an intended recipient, said raw e-mail having a source address;
(c) comparing said source address to said authentication database; and
(d) when said comparing step (c) fails to match said source address to a trusted e-mail address in said authentication database, automatically responding to said sender at said source address with a message requesting additional authentication information therefrom.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to the field of Electronic Mail Systems. Specifically, this invention creates a new and useful method, a system and an unique computer program product for preventing delivery of undesirable (junk or spam) electronic mail messages to intended recipients. This invention authenticates the source address of every incoming electronic mail message, enabling the recipient to receive electronic e-mail only from trusted sources. This invention does not use predetermined lists, text-scanning filters or trusted-user-classification methods. Instead, it uses proprietary messaging feedback algorithms to authenticate the source address of each message, including but not limited to the sender'"'"'s e-mail address.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An authentication method for preventing receipt of undesirable (junk or spam) electronic mail (e-mail) by an intended recipient of e-mail messages, the steps comprising:
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(a) providing an authentication database comprising a plurality of e-mail addresses of trusted e-mail source addresses from whence e-mail is acceptable;
(b) receiving a raw e-mail message from a sender by an intended recipient, said raw e-mail having a source address;
(c) comparing said source address to said authentication database; and
(d) when said comparing step (c) fails to match said source address to a trusted e-mail address in said authentication database, automatically responding to said sender at said source address with a message requesting additional authentication information therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product comprising:
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(a) a computer usable storage medium;
(b) computer readable program code stored on said storage medium, providing means for enabling automatic authentication of e-mail source addresses;
(c) computer readable program code stored on said storage medium, providing means for the creation of an authentication database comprising a plurality of trusted e-mail source addresses;
(d) computer readable program code stored on said storage medium, providing means for the creation of a quarantine storage area for temporary storage of raw, undelivered e-mail messages;
(e) computer readable program code stored on said storage medium, providing means for delivery of incoming e-mail messages from authenticated source addresses to intended destination addresses;
(f) computer readable program code stored on said storage medium, providing means for preventing delivery of incoming e-mail messages from unauthenticated source addresses;
(g) computer readable program code stored on said storage medium, providing means for creating a plurality of control computer screens for intended recipient(s) to control at least one from the group;
system operating parameters, automatic features of the product, modification of source addresses within the authentication database;
(h) computer readable program code stored on said storage medium, providing means for creating a plurality of display computer screens for intended recipient(s) to monitor the status of at least one from the group;
authentication processing steps, authentication database, quarantine storage area, plurality of control computer screens. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An electronic system to prevent delivery of undesirable (junk or spam) e-mail messages to intended recipients, comprising:
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(a) a message originating computer having the capability to create and send messages to intended recipients and to reply to incoming messages from intended recipients;
(b) a communications network to route and process messages;
(c) a message receiving computer having the capability to create an authentication database comprising a plurality of trusted e-mail source addresses, receive and process incoming messages from senders, generate request for authorization messages to senders, process request for authorization reply messages from senders, authenticate source addresses and add said source addresses to said authentication database, deliver incoming e-mails from authenticated source addresses to intended destination addresses. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification