Email sender verification system

• US 7,290,035 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George P. Mattathil
• Original Assignee: George P. Mattathil
• Inventors: Mattathil, George P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phuoc H
• Application Number:
  US10/905,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20050144239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method and system for email sender verification. A tag is included in an email that contains an identity datum for the sender that is associated with their email address in a server. The email is sent via a network, thus associating a sender address with the email. At least the identity datum, taken from the tag, is then provided to the server, to retrieve the email address. The email address and the sender address are then compared, verifying that the email came from the sender if these match.

Claims

1. A method for email sender verification, the method comprising:

(a) including a tag in an email, wherein said tag contains an identity datum for a sender of the email and said identity datum is stored in association with an email address of said sender at a server that is physically remote from both said sender and said recipient;

(b) sending said email via a network, wherein a sender address becomes associated with said email;

(c) providing at least said identity datum, taken from said tag, to said server to retrieve said email address of said sender;

(d) comparing said email address with said sender address, thereby verifying that said email came from said sender when said email address and said sender address match; and

(e) forwarding said email to one or more of a plurality of shadow email folders based on pre-set criteria for at least one of said email address and said sender address, wherein said shadow email folders have private email addresses that are not otherwise used.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to a first said (a), requesting said tag from said server.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to each instance of said (a), requesting said tag from said server, thereby dynamically obtaining said tag for each instance of a said email.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

selectively issuing or not issuing said tag based on criteria provided as part of said requesting and a usage policy pre-set by said sender.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to said (a), encrypting said identity datum; and

wherein,

said (c) includes decrypting said identity datum taken from said tag.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

said encrypting is based on a private key and said decrypting is based on a public key.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein:

said private key and said public key belong to said sender.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to said (a), said sender sending said email to an email server; and

said (a) occurring and said (b) initiating at said email server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said (b) includes said recipient receiving said email at an email server;

said email server performs said (c) and said (d); and

the method further comprising,

providing a result for said (d) to said recipient.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said identity datum is information about said sender that is one of;

confirmable against a public record, confirmable against a private record not generated by said server, or confirmable against a private record unique to said server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said identity datum includes at least one of a telephone number, a driver license number, government insurance account number, commercial insurance account number, bank account number, customer account number, user identifier, student number, national identity number, passport number, biometric data, and digital certificate associated with said sender.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said tag is in request for comment (RFC) 822 extension encoding.

13. A system for email sender verification, the system comprising:

a sender email application to send an email for a sender;

a recipient email application to receive said email for a recipient;

a network connecting said sender email application to said recipient email application, wherein a sender address becomes associated with said email;

a sender verification server to access a database storing an identity datum for said sender in association with an email address of said sender;

said sender email application further to include a tag in said email containing said identity datum;

said recipient email application further to provide at least said identity datum, taken from said tag, to said sender verification server;

said sender verification server further to retrieve said email-address, thereby permitting comparison of said email address with said sender address to verify whether said email came from said sender; and

said sender verification server further to forward said email to one or more of a plurality of shadow email folders based on pre-set criteria for at least one of said email address and said sender address, wherein said shadow email folders have private email addresses that are not otherwise used.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

at least one of said sender email application and said recipient email application is an email agent that runs on a respective computerized device of said sender or said recipient.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein:

at least one of said sender email application and said recipient email application is an email server that is a gateway to a respective computerized device of said sender or said recipient that runs an email agent.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a recipient verification server to intermediate between said recipient email application and said sender verification server.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

said network is the internet and said recipient verification server communicates with said sender verification server via said network.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein:

said network is a first network which is the internet; and

further comprising,

a second network which is private; and

said recipient verification server communicates with said sender verification server via said second network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

said second network is a signaling system seven (SS7) type network.

20. A system for email sender verification, the system comprising:

sender means for sending an email for a sender;

recipient means for receiving said email for a recipient;

network means for connecting said sender means to said recipient means and associating a sender address with said email;

sender verification means for accessing a database storing an identity datum for said sender in association with an email address of said sender;

said sender means further for including a tag in said email containing said identity datum;

said recipient means further for providing at least said identity datum, taken from said tag, to said sender verification means;

said sender verification means further for retrieving said email-address, thereby permitting comparison of said email address with said sender address to verify whether said email came from said sender; and

said sender verification means further for forward said email to one or more of a plurality of shadow email folders based on pre-set criteria for at least one of said email address and said sender address, wherein said shadow email folders have private email addresses that are not otherwise used.