E-mail security system

• US 20050039028A1
• Filed: 07/24/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eason, Wendy
• Application Number:
  US10/626,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20050039028A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/187
• 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 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload

Abstract

E-mail security systems are provided. A representative system, among others, includes an e-mail client. A representative e-mail client, among others, includes a message composition logic and a write protect logic. The message composition logic is operable to compose a message to at least one recipient, and the write protect logic is operable to protect the message against subsequent alteration by said at least one recipient. Methods and other systems for e-mail security are also provided.

Claims

1. An e-mail client, comprising:

message composition logic operable to compose a message to at least one recipient;

write protect logic operable to protect the message against subsequent alteration by said at least one recipient.

2. The client of claim 1, wherein the write protect logic comprises conversion logic operable to change the file from a text file to a picture file.

3. The client of claim 2, wherein the picture file is included as an inline image within the message.

4. The client of claim 2, wherein the picture file is stored on a central server for retrieval by the recipient.

5. The client of claim 2, wherein the picture file is included as an attachment to the message.

6. The client of claim 2, wherein the picture file is a joint photographic experts group (JPEG) file.

7. The client of claim 2, wherein the picture file is a graphics image format (GIF) file.

8. The client of claim 1, wherein the write protect logic comprises conversion logic operable to change the file from a text file to a portable document format (PDF) file.

9. The client of claim 1, wherein the composition logic is operable to allow the user to compose a new message, a reply to a received message or forward a received message.

10. The client of claim 1, wherein the client further comprises a user interface operable to allow the user to select a plurality of options, including enabling the write protect logic.

11. A method of protecting e-mail, the method comprising the steps of:

enabling a user to draft a message; and

converting the message into a write-protected format such that recipients are inhibited from altering the content.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the write-protected format comprises a portable document format (PDF) file.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the write-protected format comprises a graphics image format (GIF) file.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the write-protected format comprises a joint photographic experts group (JPEG) file.

15. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising:

enabling the user to choose whether to protect the message or not;

wherein converting the message into a write-protected format is performed responsive to user choice.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises sending the message to at least one recipient in the write-protected format.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the message is stored on a central server for viewing by the user.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the message is downloaded to a computer for viewing by the user.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the message is included as an inline image file.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the message is included as an attachment.