Method for restricting delivery of unsolicited E-mail

• US 6,691,156 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2000
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Drummond, Kirk, Fields, Duane Kimbell, Gregg, Thomas Preston, Kolb, Mark Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US09/523,574
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/203, 709/204, 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

A method and computer program operative in an e-mail server for reducing unsolicited e-mail in an enterprise computing environment. According to the invention, e-mail is accepted for delivery to e-mail clients only if it is from an address that has been verified by an e-mail server and/or approved by a recipient. When an e-mail from a particular address is received at the e-mail server for the first time, the server automatically issues an e-mail to the address to request that the sender verify the authenticity of the original message. If a return acknowledgement is received within a given time period, the e-mail is deemed to be authentic and delivered to its intended recipient within the enterprise. Mail messages from previously-verified addresses need not be rechecked.

Claims

1. An e-mail system connectable to a computer network, comprising:

a mail server;

a plurality of e-mail clients connectable to the mail server, each of the plurality of e-mail clients having a list of approved addresses;

a mail transport agent for receiving inbound e-mail from the computer network and forwarding the inbound e-mail to given e-mail clients, and for forwarding outbound e-mail from the e-mail clients to the computer network;

an anti-spamming agent, comprising;

code responsive to receipt of an e-mail directed to one of the plurality of e-mail clients from the computer network for determining whether a sending address of the e-mail is on the list of approved addresses for the e-mail client for which the e-mail is directed;

code responsive to a determination that the e-mail is not on the list of approved addresses for issuing an e-mail to the sending address requesting a return acknowledgement;

code for directing the e-mail to a hold queue pending receipt of the return acknowledgement;

code for releasing the e-mail from the hold queue upon receipt of the return acknowledgement; and

code for adding the sending address of the e-mail to the lists of approved addresses for others of the plurality of e-mail clients.

2. In an e-mail system comprising a mail server and a plurality of e-mail clients connectable to the mail server, each of the plurality of e-mail clients having a list of approved addresses, a method comprising the steps of:

receiving an e-mail directed to one of the plurality of e-mail clients;

determining whether a sending address of the e-mail is on the list of approved addresses for the e-mail client for which the e-mail is directed;

responsive to a determination that the e-mail is not on the list of approved addresses, issuing an e-mail to the sending address requesting a return acknowledgement; and

after receipt of the return acknowledgment, adding the sending address of the e-mail to the list of approved addresses for the e-mail client and to the lists of approved addresses for others of the plurality of e-mail clients.

3. A computer program product in a computer useable medium, and operable with an e-mail system comprising a mail server and a plurality of e-mail clients connectable to the mail server, each of the plurality of e-mail clients having a list of approved addresses, the computer program product comprising:

means for receiving an e-mail directed to one of the plurality of e-mail clients;

means for determining whether a sending address of the e-mail is on the list of approved addresses for the e-mail client for which the e-mail is directed;

means, responsive to a determination that the e-mail is not on the list of approved addresses, for issuing an e-mail to the sending address requesting a return acknowledgement; and

means for adding the sending address of the e-mail to the list of approved addresses for the e-mail client and to the lists of approved addresses for others of the plurality of e-mail clients after receipt of the return acknowledgment.