System, method and program product for authenticating an e-mail and/or attachment
First Claim
1. A method for authenticating an e-mail, said method comprising the steps of:
- a user requesting to register a visual signature image with a sending mail server, and in response, the sending mail server furnishing a first identifier to said user;
subsequently, said user requesting said sending mail server to send an e-mail with said visual signature image and supplying said e-mail and first identifier to said sending mail server, and in response, said sending mail server validating said first identifier, and sending said e-mail with a second identifier to a receiving mail server, and in response, said receiving mail server validating said second identifier; and
said sending mail server embedding said second identifier in said visual signature image and sending said visual signature image with said embedded second identifier to said receiving mail server.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and program product for authenticating an e-mail. A user requests to register a visual signature image with a sending mail server, and in response, the sending mail server furnishes a first identifier to the user. Subsequently, the user requests the sending mail server to send an e-mail with the visual signature image and supplies the e-mail and first identifier to the sending mail server. In response, the sending mail server validates the first identifier, and sends the e-mail with a second identifier to a receiving mail server. In response, the receiving mail server validates the second identifier. The second identifier identifies an addressee of the e-mail, and the receiving mail server validates the second identifier by comparing the addressee identified by the acceptance identifier to an addressee within the e-mail. The sending mail server embeds the second identifier in the visual signature image and sends the visual signature image with the embedded second identifier to the receiving mail server. The invention also resides in the image representing an originator of an e-mail and/or an attachment to the e-mail; the image is included in the e-mail, an icon for the attachment or the attachment. The image includes an identity of an originator and an identity of a recipient intended by the originator. The e-mail with the added image is sent to the intended recipient. The image and identities of the originator and recipient authenticate the e-mail and/or the attachment
78 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method for authenticating an e-mail, said method comprising the steps of:
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a user requesting to register a visual signature image with a sending mail server, and in response, the sending mail server furnishing a first identifier to said user;
subsequently, said user requesting said sending mail server to send an e-mail with said visual signature image and supplying said e-mail and first identifier to said sending mail server, and in response, said sending mail server validating said first identifier, and sending said e-mail with a second identifier to a receiving mail server, and in response, said receiving mail server validating said second identifier; and
said sending mail server embedding said second identifier in said visual signature image and sending said visual signature image with said embedded second identifier to said receiving mail server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product for authenticating an e-mail, said computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium;
first program instructions for execution with a sending mail server and responsive to a user request to register a visual signature image with said sending mail server, to furnish a first identifier to said user;
second program instructions for execution within said sending mailer server and responsive to a user request to send an e-mail with said visual signature image, said request including said first identifier, to validate said first identifier, and if valid, send said e-mail with a second identifier to a receiving mail server;
third program instructions for execution within said receiving mail server to validate said second identifier; and
fourth program instructions for execution within said sending mail server to embed said second identifier in said visual signature image and send said visual signature image with said embedded second identifier to said receiving mail server; and
whereinsaid first, second, third and fourth program instructions are recorded on said medium. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for authenticating an e-mail, said system comprising:
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first sending server means, responsive to a user request to register a visual signature image with a sending mail server, for furnishing a first identifier to said user;
second sending server means, responsive to a user request to send an e-mail with said visual signature image, said request including said first identifier, for validating said first identifier and sending said e-mail with a second identifier to a receiving mail server;
first receiving mail server means for validating said second identifier; and
third sending mail server means for embedding said second identifier in said visual signature image and sending said visual signature image with said embedded second identifier to said receiving mail server. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method for authenticating an e-mail, said method comprising the steps of:
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a user requesting to register a visual signature image with a sending mail server, and in response, the sending mail server embedding a first identifier in said image and furnishing a signature identifier to said user;
subsequently, said user requesting said sending mail server to send an e-mail with said visual signature image and supplying said e-mail and signature identifier to said sending mail server, and in response, said sending mail server validating said signature identifier, and sending said e-mail with an acceptance identifier and a sending mail server identifier to a receiving mail server, and in response, said receiving mail server validating said acceptance identifier and sending said acceptance identifier to said sending mail server, and in response, said sending mail server embedding said acceptance identifier in said visual signature image with said embedded first identifier and sending said visual signature image with said embedded acceptance identifier and first identifier, to said receiving mail server. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for authenticating an e-mail and/or an attachment in the e-mail, said method comprising the steps of:
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adding to said e-mail, an icon for said attachment or said attachment, an image representing an originator of said e-mail and/or said attachment, said image including an identity of said originator and an identity of a recipient intended by said originator; and
sending said e-mail with said added image to said intended recipient. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A computer program product for authenticating an e-mail and/or an attachment in the e-mail, said computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium;
first program instructions to add to said e-mail, an icon for said attachment or said attachment, an image representing an originator of said e-mail and/or said attachment, said image including an identity of said originator and an identity of a recipient intended by said originator; and
second program instructions to initiate sending of said embedded e-mail to said intended recipient; and
whereinsaid first and second program instructions are recorded on said medium.
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41. A method for authenticating an e-mail and/or an attachment in the e-mail, said method comprising the steps of:
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adding to said e-mail, an icon for said attachment or said attachment, an image representing an originator of said e-mail and/or said attachment, said image including an identity of said originator and an identity of a recipient intended by said originator;
adding to said e-mail apart from said image and other sender/receiver e-mail addresses normally included in a header of said e-mail, said identity of said originator and said identity of said intended recipient; and
sending said e-mail with said added image and said added identities to said intended recipient. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification