Method and system for delivering secure e-mail

• US 7,210,036 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2001
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ELUV Holdings, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ELUV Holdings, Ltd.
• Inventors: Luzzatto, Kfir
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Ellen C.
• Application Number:
  US10/181,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,290 Days
• Field of Search: 713/152, 713/150, 713/171
• US Class Current: 713/171
• 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 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06

Abstract

A method for increasing the privacy of an e-mail message, comprises the steps of: a) providing a central Server (PS) which stores concordance tables between decryption key data and the different identification given to them by different users; b) at the Sender'"'"'s terminal (ST), encrypting a message using an encryption key, and sending by e-mail the encrypted message to the Recipient (RIT); c) providing the RT with a Partial encryptionldecryption Key, which is the decryption key modified by a given Operator (OP); d) sending by the ST to said PS an Operator Identification (OI); belonging to ST, which identifies OP employed by ST to generate the encryption/decryption key, and which is obtained from the Operator Table stored at ST; e) at PS, obtaining OP from the Sender Operators Table stored at PS, using the OI; of ST sent to PS by ST; f) at PS, obtaining OI; of the RT, from the Recipient Operators Table stored at PS, using OP; g) sending to RT its OI, together with any additional data; b) at RT, receiving the encrypted message and the Partial Key from ST, and OI: from PS; i) extracting OP using the Operator Table stored at the RT, and generating therewith the decryption Key from the Partial Key; and j) decrypting the encrypted e-mail message.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the privacy of an e-mail message (M), comprising the steps of:

providing a central Server (PS) which stores tables of decryption key (K) data and the different identifications given to them by different users;

at the Sender'"'"'s terminal, encrypting a said message (M) using an encryption key A, and sending by e-mail the encrypted message (EM) to the Recipient;

providing the Recipient with a Partial decryption Key (PK), which is the decryption key (K) data for said encrypted message (EM) modified by a given Operator (OP);

sending by the Sender'"'"'s terminal to said central Server (PS) an Operator Identification (OI_i) belonging to the Sender, which identifies the Operator (OP) employed by the Sender to generate the Partial decryption key (PK), and which is obtained from the Operator Table stored at the Sender'"'"'s end;

at the Server (PS), obtaining from the Sender additional data comprising one or more of the Sender'"'"'s e-mail address, the Recipient'"'"'s e-mail address, or an identifying code for the e-mail message;

at the Server (PS), obtaining the Operator (OP) from the Sender Operators Table (ST) stored at the Server, using the Operator Identification of the Sender (OI_i) sent to the Server by the Sender'"'"'s terminal;

at the Server (PS), obtaining the Operator Identification of the Recipient (OI_o), from the Recipient Operators Table (RT) stored at the Server, using the Operator (OP);

sending to the Recipient its Operator Identification (OI_o), together with any additional data associated with the sender, or the recipient or the message;

at the Recipient, receiving the encrypted message (EM) and the Partial decryption Key (PK) from the Sender, and the Operator Identification (OI_o) from the Server;

deriving the Operator (OP) using the Operator Table stored at the Recipient'"'"'s end, and the Operator Identification OI_o) received from the Server;

generating therewith the decryption Key from the Partial Key and said Operator (OP); and

decrypting the encrypted e-mail message (EM) using said decryption key.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the Key is automatically generated by a software agent installed at the Sender'"'"'s end.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the Key is generated by an action of the Sender.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a Recipient who is not a registered user with a private e-mail central Server (PS) which stores concordance tables between decryption key data and the different identification given to them by different users, with a private e-mail message which had been encrypted (EM) utilizing an encryption key (K).

5. A method according to claim 4, where the Recipient is willing to register as a registered user with said Server, comprising:

a) Sending by the Sender to the Recipient the encrypted message (EM) with a Partial decryption Key (PK), which is the decryption key modified by a given Operator (OP);

b) Providing the Recipient with information indicating that a message (M) is waiting;

c) Offering the Recipient alternative options to receive the encrypted message (EM);

d) Upon the performing of the required act by the Recipient, generating by the Server (PS) a Table of Operators and Operator Identifiers for said Recipient, providing said Recipient with the software agent and the Table of Operators and Operator Identifiers, and sending said Recipient the Operator Identifier (OI_o) that belongs to the original message;

e) Installing by the Recipient the software agent on his terminal, thereby enabling the reception of receive messages from any Sender;

f) at the Recipient, receiving the encrypted message (EM) and the Partial Key (PK) from the Sender, and the Operator Identification (OI_o) from the Server;

g) extracting the Operator (OP) using the Operator Table stored at the Recipient'"'"'s end, and generating therewith the decryption Key from the Partial Key (PK); and

h) decrypting the encrypted e-mail message (EM).

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the information indicating that a message is waiting comprises a self-activated program that generates a pup-up window on the terminal of the Recipient.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the self activated program is seat to the Recipient by the agent of the Sender.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the self-activated program is sent to the Recipient by the Server.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the Server sends the self-activating program to the Recipient when it is unable to locate the Recipient'"'"'s address in its database.

10. A method according to claim 5, wherein the option comprises the option to subscribe to the Server.

11. A method according to claim 4, where the Recipient is not willing to register as a registered user with said Server, comprising:

Sending by the Sender to the Recipient the encrypted message (EM) with a Partial decryption Key (PK), which is the decryption key modified by a given Operator (OP);

b) sending by the Sender'"'"'s terminal to said central Server (PS) an Operator Identification (OI_i) belonging to the Sender, which identifies the Operator (OP) employed by the Sender to generate the Partial decryption Key (PK), and which is obtained from the Operator Table stored at the Sender'"'"'s end;

c) at the Server, obtaining the Operator (OP) from the Sender Operators Table (ST) stored at the Server, using the Operator Identification (OI_i) of the Sender sent to the Server (PS) by the Sender'"'"'s terminal;

d) at the Server (PS), obtaining the Operator Identification (OI_o) of the Recipient, from the Recipient Operators Table (RT) stored at the Server, using the Operator (Oil);

e) Providing the Recipient with information indicating that a message (M) is waiting;

f) Offering the Recipient alternative options to receive the encrypted message (EM);

g) Upon the performing of the required act by the Recipient, sending the Recipient by the Server (PS) a temporary agent, together with the Operator (OP) needed to obtain the full decryption key of the message (M);

h) Running the temporary agent to decrypt the message without permanently installing a software agent on the Recipient'"'"'s terminal.

12. A method for increasing the privacy of an e-mail message according any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising performing, managing or controlling certified operations, with a high degree of confidence that a message has been generated by a given entity, and received by another given entity, comprising transmitting a private e-mail message, and further using identifying data associated with an e-mail message to trace a given message and/or its routing history.

13. A method according to claim 12, for awarding prizes in a lottery or lottery-like scheme.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein a shop that supplies goods or services by order over the Internet keeps track of an order placed via e- mail, and remunerates the sender according to a preset rule.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein a specific e-mail message is traced using its PK or other added data, such as a certificate or serial number, that is transmitted together with the message.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the message number or identifier is used to participate in a lottery in which messages are drawn and prizes allotted to their senders or recipients, according to a predetermined rule.

17. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

identifying at a Server a Sender who transmits a large number of e-mail messages at the same time; and

If the Sender of said messages has not previously identified itself to the Server as a legitimate Sender, and if the number and/or the frequency of messages it distributes exceeds a predetermined limit, preventing the messages to be received by the Recipient by omitting to provide to the intended Recipients Operator Identification for said messages.

18. A method of increasing the privacy of an e-mail message, wherein a Recipient in a private e-mail system, as claimed in any of the claims 1–

11 or 13–

17, advises the Server that it does not desire to receive messages from a given Sender, whereby the Server refuses to provide an Operator Identification for messages directed to that Recipient and originating from said Sender, thus effectively filtering out messages of undesired origin.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the user advises the Server that it does not desire to receive messages from a given Sender by sending a junk mail message that he has received from that Sender to the Server.

20. A method of increasing the privacy of an e-mail message, wherein a Recipient in a private e-mail system, as claimed in claim 12, advises the Server that the Receiver does not desire to receive messages from a given Sender, whereby the Server refuses to provide an Operator Identification for messages directed to that Recipient and originating from said Sender, thus effectively filtering out messages of undesired origin.

21. A system for increasing the privacy of an e-mail message (M), comprising:

a central Server (PS) which stores tables of decryption key (K) data and the different identification given to them by different users;

software agent provided at the Sender terminal, suitable to encrypt a said message (M) using an encryption key (K), and to cause the encrypted message (EM) to be sent to the Recipient by e-mail, together with a Partial decryption Key (PK), which is said decryption key (K) modified by a given Operator (OP);

a program at the Sender'"'"'s end, for sending to said central Server (PS) an Operator Identification (OI_i) belonging to the Sender, which identifies the Operator (OP) employed by the Sender to generate said Partial decryption Key (PK), and which is obtained from the Operator Table stored at the Sender'"'"'s end;

means located at the Server, for receiving information from the Sender and for obtaining the Operator (OP) from the Sender Operators Table (ST) stored at the Server (SP), using said Operator Identification (OI_i) of the Sender sent to the Server by said Sender'"'"'s terminal, where said information comprises one or more of the Sender'"'"'s e-mail address, the Recipient'"'"'s e-mail address, or an identifying code for the e-mail message;

means located at the Server (SP) for obtaining the Operator Identification (OI_o) of the Recipient, from the Recipient Operators Table (RT) stored at the Server, using the Operator (OP), and for sending to the Recipient its Operator Identification (OI_o), together with any additional data;

a software agent at the Recipient'"'"'s end, for receiving said encrypted message (EM) and the Partial Key (PK) from the Sender, and the Operator Identification (OI_o) from the Server;

means provided at the recipient for extracting the Operator (OP) using the Operator Table stored at the Recipient end, and for generating therewith the decryption Key from said Partial Key (PK); and

software at the Recipient'"'"'s end for decrypting the encrypted e-mail message (EM).