Method and code for authenticating electronic messages
First Claim
1. A method for authenticating an electronic message comprising:
- generating, for a sender identified on a list of senders, a unique message identifier for transmission in the message; and
generating a validation record associated with the message identifier and a recipient identifier associated with a recipient; and
validating the message identifier forwarded by the recipient with the validation record.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method for authenticating an electronic message to thereby blocking unsolicited messages (“SPAM”), a first server generates a unique message identifier and an associated validation record upon authenticating a sender as one from whom a given recipient has agreed to receive electronic messages. The message identifier is included in the message, as sent to the recipient. The recipient retrieves the message identifier from the message and thereafter requests validation of the message identifier from either the first server, or a second server receiving the validation record and at least a recipient identifier associated with the recipient from the first server. After authenticating the recipient, the first or second server validates the message identifier by checking for the existence of the validation record, and returns an indication of message validation. The message is then accepted or rejected and, perhaps, routed to a folder for subsequent processing, based on the indication.
151 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for authenticating an electronic message comprising:
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generating, for a sender identified on a list of senders, a unique message identifier for transmission in the message; and
generating a validation record associated with the message identifier and a recipient identifier associated with a recipient; and
validating the message identifier forwarded by the recipient with the validation record. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
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receiving, from a sender of an electronic message, a request for a message identifier, wherein the request includes a recipient identifier associated with an identified recipient of the message;
generating, only when the sender is identified on a list of senders, a unique message identifier and a validation record, the validation record being associated with the message identifier and the recipient identifier; and
forwarding the message identifier to the sender. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
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receiving, from a recipient of an electronic message, a request including a message identifier and a recipient identifier associated with the recipient;
validating the message identifier with a validation record associated with the message identifier and the recipient identifier; and
forwarding an indication to the recipient based on validating. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
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requesting, from a server prior to transmission of an electronic message, a unique message identifier associated with a validation record;
receiving the message identifier from the server; and
transmitting the message identifier in the message. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
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retrieving an message identifier transmitted in an electronic message;
requesting, from a server, a validation of the message identifier based on a validation record associated with the message identifier and a recipient identifier associated with the recipient;
receiving an indication of message validation from the server; and
processing the electronic message based on the indication. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a data structure comprising:
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a first data field containing a recipient identifier associated with an authenticated recipient;
a second data field containing a sender identifier associated with an authenticated sender of electronic messages, a third data field containing a unique message identifier for a given message sent by the authenticated sender to the authenticated recipient, the third data field being related to the first data field and the second data field. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification