Sending digitally signed emails via a web-based email system
First Claim
1. A system for improving the security of transmitted email, comprising:
- a) a Certificate Authority; and
b) a Web-based Email System having one or more PKI Email Accounts created via the Certificate Authority for one or more Email Users, wherein the Web-based Email System is able to send PKI signed emails to a second Email System.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for allowing an Email User to create a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Email Account and thereafter to digitally sign, send, verify and receive PKI encrypted emails over a computer network, such as the Internet. The systems and methods preferably include a Web-based Email System and a Certificate Authority that coordinate their actions to make the process of creating, maintaining and using the PKI Account as easy as possible for the Email User. In a preferred embodiment, a Keystore System may also be used to enhance the management and use of digital keypairs.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system for improving the security of transmitted email, comprising:
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a) a Certificate Authority; and
b) a Web-based Email System having one or more PKI Email Accounts created via the Certificate Authority for one or more Email Users, wherein the Web-based Email System is able to send PKI signed emails to a second Email System. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of improving the security of transmitted email, comprising the steps of:
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a) a Web-based Email System and a Certificate Authority generating a PKI Email Account for an Email User;
b) the Web-based Email System generating an email drafted by the Email User;
c) the Web-based Email System receiving a request from the Email User to digitally sign the email;
d) digitally signing the email using a private key of the PKI Email Account of the Email User; and
e) the Web-based Email System sending the digitally signed email to a designated Recipient. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of improving the security of transmitted email, comprising the steps of:
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a) a Web-based Email System creating a PKI Email Account for an Email User via a Certificate Authority, wherein a private key of the Email User is stored in a Keystore System;
b) the Web-based Email System generating an email drafted by the Email User;
c) the Web-based Email System receiving a request from the Email User to digitally sign the email;
d) digitally signing the email; and
e) the Web-based Email System transmitting the email to a designated Recipient. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification