System and method for sending encrypted messages to a distribution list

• US 20060204011A1
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil P., Brown, Michael S., Brown, Michael K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,613,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/282
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

A system and method for sending encrypted messages to a distribution list that facilitates the sending of such messages only to individuals or other entities associated with the distribution list that will be able to read the message. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: identifying a distribution list address in a message; determining one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list address; for each member address, determining if a public key for a member identified by the respective member address is available on the computing device; encrypting the message to each member identified by the one or more member addresses for which a public key for the respective member is available on the computing device; sending the encrypted message to the distribution list address if each of the one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list identifies a member for which a public key is available on the computing device; and sending the message to each of the one or more member addresses that identifies a member for which a public key is available on the computing device otherwise.

Claims

1. A method of sending encrypted messages from a computing device to a distribution list, the method comprising the steps of:

a) identifying a distribution list address in a message;

b) determining one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list address;

c) for each member address, determining if a public key for a member identified by the respective member address is available on the computing device;

d) encrypting the message to each member identified by the one or more member addresses for which a public key for the respective member is available on the computing device;

e) sending the encrypted message to the distribution list address if each of the one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list identifies a member for which a public key is available on the computing device; and

f) sending the message to each of the one or more member addresses that identifies a member for which a public key is available on the computing device if at least one of the one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list does not identify a member for which a public key is available on the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) comprises querying a server for the one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list address.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of searching for a certificate comprising a public key for one or more members identified by the one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list address.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of retrieving a certificate comprising a public key for one or more members identified by the one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list address.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of verifying one or more properties of the retrieved certificate.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of verifying one or more properties of a certificate associated with a public key determined to be available on the computing device at step c).

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a user of the computing device with an option of sending the encrypted message to the distribution list address if at least one of the one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list does not identify a member for which a public key is available on the computing device;

determining if the user has chosen to exercise the option; and

sending the encrypted message to the distribution list address if the user has chosen to exercise the option, wherein step f) is not performed.

9. A software application comprising a plurality of instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, the instructions for a method of sending encrypted messages from a computing device to a distribution list as claimed in claim 1.

10. A system for sending encrypted messages to a distribution list comprising at least one computing device, wherein a software application executes and resides on a computing device of the at least one computing device, wherein the software application is programmed to perform the steps of the method as claimed in claim 1.