Systems and methods for automated exchange of electronic mail encryption certificates

• US 20070083749A1
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Fang, Wen
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/152
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/76 Proxy, i.e. using intermediary entity to perform cryptographic operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• 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 63/0442 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 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]

Abstract

Systems and methods for automated exchange of encryption certificates for transmitting and receiving encrypted email messages are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of communicating an encrypted email message includes providing a recipient identifier, creating an unencrypted email message, automatically querying a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption key corresponding to the recipient identifier, automatically receiving the recipient encryption key from the recipient email domain, automatically encrypting the unencrypted email message using the recipient encryption key, and transmitting the encrypted email message to the recipient identifier.

Claims

1. A method of communicating an encrypted email message, comprising:

providing a recipient identifier;

creating an unencrypted email message;

automatically querying a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption key corresponding to the recipient identifier;

automatically receiving the recipient encryption key from the recipient email domain;

automatically encrypting the unencrypted email message using the recipient encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted email message to the recipient identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a recipient identifier includes providing at least one of a recipient email address, a recipient common name, and a recipient group name.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically querying a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption key corresponding to the recipient identifier occurs after creating an unencrypted email message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically querying a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption key corresponding to the recipient identifier occurs after providing a recipient identifier, and at least one of prior to and simultaneously with creating an unencrypted email message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically querying a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption key corresponding to the recipient identifier includes automatically querying a recipient email domain using a directory access proxy component for a recipient encryption key corresponding to the recipient identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein automatically querying a recipient email domain using a directory access proxy component includes automatically querying a recipient email domain using a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) proxy component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically querying a recipient email domain using a directory access proxy component includes automatically querying a recipient email domain using a directory access proxy component disposed within a network firewall.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising electing to query a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption certificate, wherein-automatically querying a recipient email domain using a directory access proxy component occurs after electing to query a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption certificate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein encrypting the unencrypted email message includes encrypting the unencrypted email message based on at least one Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) standard.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the encrypted email message includes transmitting the encrypted email message using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).

11. A computer program product adapted to perform a method of communicating an encrypted email message, comprising:

a first portion adapted to receive a recipient identifier;

a second portion adapted to create an unencrypted email message;

a third portion adapted to automatically query a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption key corresponding to the recipient identifier;

a fourth portion adapted to automatically receive the recipient encryption key from the recipient email domain;

a fifth portion adapted to encrypt the unencrypted email message using the recipient encryption key; and

a sixth portion adapted to transmit the encrypted email message to the recipient identifier.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the first portion is further adapted to receive at least one of a recipient email address, a recipient common name, and a recipient group name.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the third portion is further adapted to automatically query a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption key corresponding to the recipient identifier after the second portion creates an unencrypted email message addressed to the recipient identifier.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the third portion is further adapted to automatically query a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption key at least one of prior to and simultaneously with the creation of the unencrypted email message addressed to the recipient identifier by the second portion.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the third portion is further adapted to automatically query a recipient email domain using a directory access proxy component for a recipient encryption key corresponding to the recipient identifier.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising a seventh portion adapted to receive an input command to query a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption certificate, and wherein the third component is further adapted to automatically query a recipient email domain using a directory access proxy component occurs after the seventh component receives the input command to query a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption certificate.

17. A computer system for communicating an encrypted email message, comprising:

a first computer having an email utility adapted to transmit and receive email messages including a capability to receive a recipient identifier and to create an unencrypted email message;

a first server coupled to the first computer and adapted to automatically communicate a first request to a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption key, and to automatically receive the recipient encryption key;

wherein at least one of the first computer and the first server is further adapted to automatically encrypt the unencrypted email message using the recipient encryption key, and to transmit the encrypted email message to the recipient email domain.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the at least one of the first computer and the first server is further adapted to automatically encrypt the unencrypted email message using a method that includes:

providing a recipient identifier;

creating an unencrypted email message;

automatically querying a recipient email domain for a recipient encryption key corresponding to the recipient identifier;

automatically receiving the recipient encryption key from the recipient email domain;

automatically encrypting the unencrypted email message using the recipient encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted email message to the recipient identifier.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the first server is further adapted to at least one of automatically communicate the first request and automatically receive the recipient encryption key after the first computer has created unencrypted email message.

20. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the first server is further adapted to at least one of automatically communicate the first request and automatically receive the recipient encryption key at least one of prior to and simultaneously with the creation of the unencrypted email message.

21. The computer system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first computer and the first server is further adapted encrypt the unencrypted email message using both the recipient encryption key and a sender'"'"'s encryption key.

22. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising a second server operatively coupled to the first server and adapted to receive the first request and to automatically transmit the recipient encryption key to the first server.

23. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the first server includes a directory access proxy component adapted to communicate with the recipient email domain.