Email encryption method and system

• US 20060064581A1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Optimation Software Engineering Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Optimation Software Engineering Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wilson, David J., Miller, Ronald W., Hunt, Jeremy T., Oppenheim, David M., Freeman, John R.
• Application Number:
  US11/206,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064581A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

An apparatus and method for sending email, the apparatus comprising an encryption policy database for storing encryption policies pertaining to possible addressees, and a mail mediator for intercepting an email message after being dispatched by a mail user agent, and configured to retrieve any encryption policy pertaining to the addressee from the encryption policy database and to apply the encryption policy to the email message. The mail mediator attempts to encrypt the email message if the encryption policy pertaining to the addressee dictates that the email message should be encrypted

Claims

5. A method of sending email, comprising:

intercepting an email message dispatched to an addressee by a mail user agent;

retrieving any encryption policy pertaining to said addressee from an encryption policy database;

applying said encryption policy to said email message;

attempting to encrypt said email message if said encryption policy pertaining to said addressee dictates that said email message should be encrypted.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, including, if said encryption policy pertaining to said addressee dictates that said email message should be encrypted, attempting to retrieve a digital certificate pertaining to said addressee from a digital certificate database and attempting to encrypt said email message using said digital certificate pertaining to said addressee.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, including, if a digital certificate for said addressee is not located, sending an invitation email message to said addressee for inviting and assisting said addressee to obtain a digital certificate and to send said digital certificate once obtained to said apparatus so that said email message can be encrypted and sent to said addressee.

8. A method as claimed in claim 5, including providing a mail mediator interposed between said mail user agent and a mail transfer agent.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, including providing another such mail mediator between an addressee mail user agent and an addressee mail transfer agent.

20. A computer readable medium provided with program portions for controlling a device to perform the steps of the method of claim 5.

21. A computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of a computer, comprising software code portions for performing the steps of the method of claim 5 when said product is run on a computer.

10. An apparatus for sending email, comprising:

a mail mediator for intercepting and encrypting an outgoing email message addressed to said addressee, wherein said mail mediator is configured;

if said apparatus has an addressee digital security mechanism (such as a digital certificate) pertaining to said addressee, to employ said addressee digital security mechanism to encrypt said outgoing email message and subsequently to dispatch said encrypted email message; and

if said apparatus does not have an addressee digital security mechanism pertaining to said addressee, to send an unencrypted request for said addressee digital security mechanism to said addressee and, if said addressee digital security mechanism is subsequently received from said addressee, to employ said addressee digital security mechanism to encrypt said outgoing email message and subsequently to dispatch said encrypted email message.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said unencrypted request for said addressee digital security mechanism is adapted to be intercepted and acted upon by an addressee mail mediator comparable to said mail mediator so that said mail mediator can receive said addressee digital security mechanism.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said unencrypted request for said addressee digital security mechanism is adapted to appear to said addressee as an invitation to install an addressee mail mediator if not intercepted by an addressee mail mediator.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said unencrypted request includes a mechanism to initiate the installation of said addressee mail mediator.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said unencrypted request includes a hypertext link for initiating the installation of said addressee mail mediator.

15. A method of sending email, comprising:

intercepting an outgoing email message dispatched to an addressee;

if an addressee digital security mechanism pertaining to said addressee is available, employing said addressee digital security mechanism to encrypt said outgoing email message and subsequently dispatching said encrypted email message; and

if an addressee digital security mechanism pertaining to said addressee is unavailable, sending an unencrypted request for said addressee digital security mechanism to said addressee and, if said addressee digital security mechanism is subsequently received from said addressee, employing said addressee digital security mechanism to encrypt said outgoing email message and subsequently dispatching said encrypted email message.

1. An apparatus for sending email, comprising:

an encryption policy database for storing encryption policies pertaining to possible addressees; and

a mail mediator for intercepting an email message after being dispatched by a mail user agent, and configured to retrieve any encryption policy pertaining to said addressee from said encryption policy database and to apply said encryption policy to said email message;

wherein said mail mediator attempts to encrypt said email message if said encryption policy pertaining to said addressee dictates that said email message should be encrypted.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a certificate database for storing digital certificates for at least said possible addressees, wherein if said encryption policy pertaining to said addressee dictates that said email message should be encrypted, said mail mediator is configured to attempt to retrieve a digital certificate pertaining to said addressee and to attempt to encrypt said email message using said digital certificate pertaining to said addressee.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said mail mediator is configured so that, if said mail mediator cannot locate a digital certificate for said addressee, said mail mediator sends an invitation email message to said addressee for inviting and assisting said addressee to obtain and install software so that an addressee apparatus can operate like said apparatus, to obtain a digital certificate and to send said digital certificate once obtained to said apparatus so that said email message can be encrypted and sent to said addressee.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mail mediator is interposed between the mail user agent and a mail transfer agent.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said unencrypted request for said addressee digital security mechanism is adapted to be intercepted and acted upon by an addressee mail mediator comparable to said mail mediator so that said mail mediator can receive said addressee digital security mechanism.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, including adapting said unencrypted request for said addressee digital security mechanism to appear to said addressee as an invitation to install an addressee mail mediator if not intercepted by an addressee mail mediator.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, including providing a mechanism in said unencrypted request for initiating the installation of said addressee mail mediator.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17, including providing a hypertext link in said unencrypted request for initiating the installation of said addressee mail mediator.

22. A computer program product stored an a computer readable medium for causing a computer to perform the steps of the method of claim 5.

23. A computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of a computer, comprising software code portions for performing the steps of the method of claim 15 when said product is run on a computer.

24. A computer program product stored an a computer readable medium for causing a computer to perform the steps of the method of claim 15.

22-1. A computer readable medium provided with program portions for controlling a device to perform the steps of the method of claim 15.