Method and System of Secure Email

• US 20150149775A1
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powa Technologies Limited (Thompson Investments (London) Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Powa Technologies Limited (Thompson Investments (London) Ltd.)
• Inventors: GADOTTI, Alessandro
• Application Number:
  US14/554,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20150149775A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234

Abstract

A process of sending and receiving emails using uniquely associated mobile communication devices involving a sender and a recipient, both registered users in a secure email communication system. The use of uniquely associated mobile communication devices with additional user authentication in the email sending and receiving ensures the authenticity of the sender and the recipient. Furthermore, the process of sending and receiving emails through the secure email communication system includes multiple levels of encryption and decryption of emails.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for sending and receiving secure emails, comprising:

allowing composition of a email in a sender'"'"'s mobile communication device to be sent to a recipient, wherein the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device being equipped with one or more processors, wherein the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device is uniquely associated with the sender'"'"'s user account record, wherein the sender'"'"'s user account record including at least an authentication information of the sender, and wherein the sender'"'"'s user account record being stored in a first central processing server;

authenticating the sender;

encrypting, by the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device, the email to generate a first encrypted email using at least a device identification of the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device;

sending, by the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device, the first encrypted email to the first central processing server;

decrypting and re-encrypting, by the first central processing server, the first encrypted email to generate a second encrypted email; and

sending, by the first central processing server, the second encrypted email to the recipient email server according to the recipient email address specified in the email.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sender authentication comprises:

receiving a security PIN in the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device;

sending the security PIN to the first central processing server; and

matching the security PIN with the authentication information in the sender'"'"'s user account record.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption of the email to generate the first encrypted email further comprises using a private key of sender in addition to the device identification of the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device to encrypt the email.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the decryption and re-encryption of the first encrypted email to generate the second encrypted email comprises:

using a copy of the device identification of the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device that is previously stored in the first central processing server to decrypt the first encrypted email; and

using a copy of a device identification of the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device that is previously stored in the first central processing server to re-encrypt the decrypted first encrypted email.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the decryption and re-encryption of the first encrypted email to generate the second encrypted email comprises:

using a public key of the sender and a copy of the device identification of the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device that are previously stored in the first central processing server to decrypt the first encrypted email; and

using a public key of the recipient and a copy of a device identification of a recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device that are previously stored in the first central processing server to re-encrypt the decrypted first encrypted email.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the second encrypted email in the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device, wherein the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device being equipped with one or more processors, wherein the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device is uniquely associated with the recipient'"'"'s user account record, wherein the recipient'"'"'s user account record including at least an authentication information of the recipient, and wherein the recipient'"'"'s user account record being stored in a first central processing server;

authenticating the recipient; and

decrypting, by the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device, the second encrypted email using at least a device identification of the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the recipient authentication comprises:

receiving a security PIN in the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device;

sending the security PIN to the first central processing server; and

matching the security PIN with the authentication information in the recipient'"'"'s user account record.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing an attachment of a document to the email being composed in the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device;

allowing an electronic signing of the attached document by embedding a barcode in the attached document, wherein the barcode including encoded information of a signer.

9. A computer implemented method for sending and receiving secure emails, comprising:

allowing composition of a email in a sender'"'"'s computing device to be sent to a recipient;

authenticating the sender using a sender'"'"'s mobile communication device, wherein the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device being equipped with an optical scanner or camera and one or more processors, wherein the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device is uniquely associated with the sender'"'"'s user account record, wherein the sender'"'"'s user account record including at least an authentication information of the sender, and wherein the sender'"'"'s user account record being stored in a first central processing server;

sending, by the first central processing server, a device identification of the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device to the sender'"'"'s computing device;

encrypting, by the sender'"'"'s computing device, the email to generate an encrypted email using at least the device identification of the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device;

sending, by the sender'"'"'s computing device, the encrypted email to the recipient email server according to the recipient email address specified in the email.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the sender authentication comprises:

receiving a security PIN in the sender'"'"'s mobile communication device;

sending the security PIN to the first central processing server; and

matching the security PIN with the authentication information in the sender'"'"'s user account record.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending, by the first central processing server, a public key of the recipient to the sender'"'"'s computing device;

wherein the encryption of the email to generate the encrypted email further comprises using the public key of the recipient in addition to the device identification of the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device to encrypt the email.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving the encrypted email in the recipient'"'"'s computing device;

authenticating the recipient using the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device, wherein the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device being equipped with one or more processors, wherein the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device is uniquely associated with the recipient'"'"'s user account record, wherein the recipient'"'"'s user account record including at least an authentication information of the recipient, and wherein the recipient'"'"'s user account record being stored in a first central processing server; and

decrypting, by the recipient'"'"'s computing device, the encrypted email using at least the device identification of the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the recipient authentication comprises:

receiving a security PIN in the recipient'"'"'s mobile communication device;

sending the security PIN to the first central processing server; and

matching the security PIN with the authentication information in the recipient'"'"'s user account record.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

allowing an attachment of a document to the email being composed in the sender'"'"'s computing device;

allowing an electronic signing of the attached document by embedding a barcode in the attached document, wherein the barcode including encoded information of a signer.