TRANSMISSION OF MESSAGES

• US 20100255811A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Jover Aparicio, Fernando
• Application Number:
  US12/740,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20100255811A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/14 for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1483 service impersonation, e.g. phishing, pharming or web spoofing detection of rogue wireless access points H04W12/12

Abstract

First, a sending station (7) transmits to a registration station (6) a registration request including a telecommunications address such as a URL or telephone number for later use; the registration station (6) allocates a security code to the address, stores a database entry containing the address and security code and sends the security code to the sending station (7). When the sending station (7) wishes to send a message that includes the telecommunications address, it also includes the security code. A station (2) receiving the message sends a verification request containing the telecommunications address and the security code to a verification station (6) which determines whether there is a database entry that matches the telecommunication address and security code and if so, sends a clearance notification to the receiving station (2). The receiving station may prohibit, or at least warn against, communication with the address until such time at clearance is received.

Claims

1. A method of verifying messages sent over a telecommunications system in which:

a) a sending station (7) transmits to a registration station (6) a registration request including a telecommunications address for later use;

b) the registration station (6) allocates a security code to the address, stores a database entry containing the address and security code and sends the security code to the sending station (7);

c) the sending station (7) sends to a receiving station (2) a message containing the telecommunications address and the security code;

d) the receiving station (2) sends to a verification station (6) a verification request containing the telecommunications address and the security code;

e) the verification station (6) determines whether there is a database entry that matches the telecommunication address and security code and if so, sends a clearance notification to the receiving station (2).

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the system is a mobile telephone network.

3. A method according to claim 1 in which the receiving station is a telephone.

4. A method according to claim 1 in which the receiving station is a computer terminal.

5. A method according to claim 1 in which the message is a text message.

6. A method according to claim 1 in which the telecommunications address is a telephone number.

7. A method according to claim 1 in which the telecommunications address is an address of data stored at a remote server.

8. A method according to claim 1 in which the registration station and verification station are one and the same station.

9. A method according to claim 1 in which the receiving station extracts from the message the telecommunications address and the security code and includes them in the verification request.

10. A method according to claim 1 in which the receiving station includes a copy of the message in the verification request.

11. A method according to claim 1 in which the receiving station displays the message only after it has received a clearance notification.

12. A method according to claim 1 in which the receiving station displays the message, but permits the initiation of communication with a station corresponding to the telecommunications address only after it has received a clearance notification.

13. A method according to claim 1 in which the receiving station displays the message, but responds to an attempt by a user of the receiving station to establish communication with a station corresponding to the telecommunications address in the absence of a clearance notification by displaying a warning.

14. A telecommunications system comprising:

(i) a sending station (7) operable (a) to transmit to a registration station (6) a registration request including a telecommunications address for later use and (b) to send to a receiving station (2) a message containing the telecommunications address and a security code;

(ii) a registration station (6) operable upon receipt of a registration request to allocate a security code to the address, to store a database entry containing the address and security code and to send the security code to the sending station (7) for inclusion in its message to the receiving station;

(iii) a receiving station (2) operable upon receipt of a message to send to a verification station (6) a verification request containing the telecommunications address and the security code; and

(iv) a verification station (6) operable upon receipt of a verification request to determine whether there is a database entry that matches the telecommunication address and security code contained in the request and if so, to send a clearance notification to the receiving station (2).

15. An apparatus for verifying messages sent over a telecommunications system comprising:

means operable upon receipt of a registration request including a telecommunications address for later use to allocate a security code to the address, to store a database entry containing the address and security code and to send the security code to the sender of the registration request; and

means operable upon receipt of a verification request containing the telecommunications address and the security code to determine whether there is a database entry that matches the telecommunication address and security code and if so, to send a clearance notification to the sender of the verification request.

16. A telecommunications station comprising:

means for receiving messages for display;

means selectively operable upon receipt of a message for display, which message contains a telecommunications address, to initiate communication with a station having that address; and

means operable upon receipt of a message for display which contains the telecommunications address and a security code to send to a verification station a verification request containing the telecommunications address and the security code and to disable said initiation of communication until receipt of a clearance notification from the verification station.