Method and system for selectively blocking delivery of bulk electronic mail

• US 7,194,515 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirsch, Steven T.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US10/407,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20030167311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/219, 709/225, 709/227, 709/237, 709/250, 709/229, 713/201
• 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

The origin address of an e-mail message is validated to enable blocking of e-mail from spam e-mail sources, by preparing, in response to the receipt of a predetermined e-mail message from an unverified source address, a data key encoding information reflective of the predetermined e-mail message. This message, including the data key, is then issued to the unverified source address. The computer system then operates to detect whether a response e-mail message, responsive to the challenge e-mail message, is received and whether the response e-mail message includes a response key encoding predetermined information reflective of a predetermined aspect of the challenge e-mail message. The unverified source address may be recorded in a verified source address list. Thus, when an e-mail message is received, the computer may operate to accept receipt of a predetermined e-mail message on condition that the source address of the predetermined e-mail message is recorded in the verified source address list and alternatively on condition that the predetermined e-mail message includes the response key.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer for the purpose of validating e-mail messages to enable blocking of unwanted ones of said e-mail messages, said method comprising the steps of:

preparing, in response to the receipt of a predetermined e-mail message, a data key encoding information reflective of some aspect of said predetermined e-mail message;

issuing a challenge e-mail message including said data key;

detecting whether a response e-mail message, responsive to said challenge e-mail message, is received and whether said response e-mail message includes a response key encoding predetermined information reflective of a predetermined aspect of said challenge e-mail message;

recording, in response to receipt of said response key, a source address in a verified source address list; and

accepting receipt of said predetermined e-mail message on condition that the source address is recorded in said verified source address list and alternatively on condition that said predetermined e-mail message includes said response key.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said response key is provided in said challenge e-mail message so as to be returned with any automatic return of said challenge e-mail message as said response e-mail message.

3. A method of filtering a stream of e-mail messages directed to the e-mail address of a client connected to the Internet whereby the client permits receipt of acceptable ones of the e-mail messages and rejects receipt of unacceptable ones of the e-mail messages, comprising the steps of:

processing the stream of e-mail messages to accept recognized ones of the e-mail messages that are acceptable;

processing the stream of e-mail messages to reject recognized ones of the e-mail messages that are unacceptable; and

processing the stream of e-mail messages to challenge unrecognized ones of the e-mail messages including the steps of;

preparing, in response to the receipt of an unrecognized one of the e-mail messages, a data key encoding information correlated to said unrecognized one of the e-mail messages;

issuing a challenge e-mail message including said data key; and

accepting said unrecognized email message upon receiving a response e-mail message responsive to said challenge e-mail message and including a response key derived from said data key.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said response key is derived from said data key in response to a predetermined modification of said data key.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

accepting a recognized one of the e-mail messages on condition that a source address of the e-mail message is recorded in a verified source address list.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said response key is provided in said challenge e-mail message so as to be returned with any automatic return of said challenge e-mail message as said response e-mail message.