System and method for selectively increasing message transaction costs

• US 20050027879A1
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Karp, Alan H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,383,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

A system and method for increasing message transaction costs is disclosed. One basic embodiment of the method includes the elements of: receiving over a data link a request to route a message to a recipient address; calculating a delay period, in response to the request; dropping the data link; receiving over the data link a next request to route a message to a recipient address; dropping the data link, if the next request was received during the delay period; and routing the message referenced in the next request to the recipient address, if the delay period has expired. The system of the present invention, includes all means for implementing the method.

Claims

1. A method for increasing message costs, comprising:

receiving over a data link a request to route a message to a recipient address;

calculating a delay period, in response to the request;

dropping the data link;

receiving over the data link a next request to route a message to a recipient address;

dropping the data link, if the next request was received during the delay period; and

routing the message referenced in the next request to the recipient address, if the delay period has expired.

2. The method of claim 1:

wherein the calculating element includes calculating the delay period once per day.

3. The method of claim 1:

wherein the calculating element includes calculating a random delay period.

4. The method of claim 1:

wherein the dropping element includes transmitting a transport layer command which closes the data link.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein the dropping element includes transmitting a TCP layer “

FIN”

command over the data link.

6. The method of claim 1:

wherein the dropping element includes closing the data link at a network layer without sending any message back over the data link.

7. The method of claim 1:

wherein the dropping element includes silently closing the data link at an IP layer.

8. The method of claim 1:

wherein the message is an e-mail message.

9. The method of claim 1:

wherein the receiving element includes receiving over the data link a request to route the message from a particular sending computer to the recipient address hosted by a particular receiving computer.

10. A method for increasing message transaction costs, comprising:

receiving over a data link a request to route a message to a recipient address;

attempting to identify the recipient address; and

dropping the data link with the sending computer, if the recipient address can not be identified.

11. The method of claim 10:

wherein the attempting element includes attempting to verify that the recipient address is valid.

12. The method of claim 10:

wherein the attempting element includes attempting to verify that the recipient address known.

13. The method of claim 10:

wherein the dropping element includes transmitting a transport layer command which closes the data link.

14. The method of claim 10:

wherein the dropping element includes transmitting a TCP layer “

FIN”

command over the data link.

15. The method of claim 10:

wherein the dropping element includes closing the data link at a network layer without sending any message back over the data link.

16. The method of claim 10:

wherein the dropping element includes silently closing the data link at an IP layer.

17. The method of claim 10:

wherein the message is an e-mail message.

18. The method of claim 10:

wherein the address is an e-mail address.

19. A method for increasing message transaction costs, comprising:

generating a first set of faux addresses;

making the faux addresses available;

receiving over a data link a request to route a message to a faux address within the set of faux addresses; and

dropping the data link, in response to the receiving element.

20. The method of claim 19:

wherein the making element includes, publishing the faux addresses on a public network;

21. The method of claim 19:

wherein the dropping element includes transmitting a transport layer command which closes the data link.

22. The method of claim 19:

wherein the dropping element includes transmitting a TCP layer “

FIN”

command over the data link.

23. The method of claim 19:

wherein the dropping element includes closing the data link at a network layer without sending any message back over the data link.

24. The method of claim 19:

wherein the dropping element includes silently closing the data link at an IP layer.

25. The method of claim 19:

further comprising, treating the faux address as valid for a predetermined period of time, in response to the receiving element; and

wherein the dropping element includes, dropping the data link with the sending computer, after the predetermined period of time has expired.

26. The method of claim 25:

wherein the treating element includes providing a faux validation of the faux address back over the data link.

27. The method of claim 26:

wherein the providing element includes downloading a file identified within the message.

28. The method of claim 26:

wherein the providing element includes downloading an image file identified by an image reference within the message;

29. The method of claim 19:

further comprising, treating the faux address as valid until a number of messages addressed to the faux address reaches a first predetermined number within a first predetermined time period; and

wherein the dropping element includes, dropping the data link, after the number of messages addressed to the faux address exceeds the first predetermined number within the first predetermined time period.

30. The method of claim 29:

further comprising, treating the faux address as valid again after the number of messages addressed to the faux address falls below a second predetermined number within a second predetermined time period.

31. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

generating a next set of faux addresses;

repeating the making, receiving, and dropping elements with respect to the next set of faux addresses.

32. The method of claim 19:

wherein the message is an e-mail message.

33. The method of claim 19:

wherein the address is an e-mail address.

34. A system for increasing message transaction costs, comprising a:

means for receiving over a data link a request to route a message to a recipient address;

means for calculating a delay period, in response to the request;

means for dropping the data link;

means for receiving over the data link a next request to route a message to a recipient address;

means for dropping the data link, if the next request was received during the delay period; and

means for routing the message referenced in the next request to the recipient address, if the delay period has expired.

35. A system for increasing message transaction costs, comprising a:

means for receiving over a data link a request to route a message to a recipient address;

means for attempting to identify the recipient address; and

means for dropping the data link with the sending computer, if the recipient address can not be identified.

36. A system for increasing message transaction costs, comprising a:

means for generating a first set of faux addresses;

means for making the faux addresses available;

means for receiving over a data link a request to route a message to a faux address within the set of faux addresses; and

means for dropping the data link, in response to the receiving element.

37. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

means for treating the faux address as valid for a predetermined period of time, in response to the receiving element.

38. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

means for treating the faux address as valid until a number of messages addressed to the faux address reaches a first predetermined number within a first predetermined time period.

39. The system of claim 38, further comprising:

means for treating the faux address as valid again after the number of messages addressed to the faux address falls below a second predetermined number within a second predetermined time period.