Systems and methods for implementing source transparent email gateways

• US 7,814,540 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Inventors: Liao, En-Yi, Liao, Jerry Chinghsien, Hou, Cheng-Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kimyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paliwal; Yogesh
• Application Number:
  US11/318,361
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 726/12, 723/153
• US Class Current: 726/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression

Abstract

Methods and arrangements for implementing new email handling policies in gateway logic that is inserted upstream of the existing email system (which may or may not have an existing email gateway). By inserting the gateway logic upstream of the existing email system, it is unnecessary to reconfigure existing email handling logic since the remainder of the email system downstream of the newly inserted gateway logic is substantially undisturbed. Techniques and arrangements are proposed to ensure the remainder of the email system continues to function correctly after the insertion of the new gateway logic.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a first set of email handling policies in an email system that implements a set of existing email handling policies in an existing email policy handling logic, said method comprising:

obtaining, using gateway logic, source information related to an email, said email being sent by an email client, said source information including an Internet Protocol address (IP address) of said email client, said source information further including a port identifier of a port of said email client, said pen of said email client being-employed to send out said email said gateway logic being interposed between an external network and said existing email policy handling logic,

encoding, using said gateway logic, said source information to produce encoded source information;

relaying, using said gateway logic, said encoded source information from said gateway logic to a library;

decoding, using said library, said encoded source information to obtain said source information;

storing using said library, said source information as stored source information after said decoding;

intercepting, using said library, Application Programming Interface calls (API calls) and system calls, said API calls and system calls involving said source information, said API calls and system calls being related to a calling function; and

returning, using said library, said stored source information to said calling function.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said encoding is performed using a protocol that is employed to relay said email.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said library represents a dynamic link library.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said relaying is performed using intervening code installed on a server executing said existing email policy handling logic, said intervening code detecting calls from said existing email policy handling logic that involves said IP address of said email client and returning said IP address of said email client to said existing email policy handling logic.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a first socket connection between said email client and said gateway logic;

establishing a second socket connection between said gateway logic and said existing email policy handling logic; and

performing handshaking between said gateway logic and said existing email policy handling logic after said establishing said first socket and said establishing said second socket, including furnishing said IP address of said email client from said gateway logic to said existing email policy handling logic.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising acquiring said port identifier via said first, socket connection.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said existing email policy handling logic represents an existing email gateway.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said existing email gateway includes an email server.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising relaying, using said gateway logic, said port identifier of said port of said email client from said gateway logic to said existing email policy handling logic, thereby rendering said port identifier available to said existing email policy handling logic and enabling said existing email policy handling logic to perform at least a portion of said set of existing email handling policies using said port identifier.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said encoding is performed using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), the SMTP being employed to relay said email.

11. A method for implementing a first set of email handling policies in an email system that implements a set of existing email handling policies in a set of existing email gateways, said method comprising:

obtaining, using a first email gateway, source information related to an email, said email being sent by an email client, said source information including an Internet Protocol address (IP address) of said email client, said source information further including a port identifier of a port of said email client, said port of said email client being employed to send out said email;

encoding, using said first email gateway, said source information to produce encoded source information;

relaying, using said first email gateway, said encoded source information from said first email gateway to a library;

decoding, using said library, said encoded source information to obtain said source information;

storing, using said library, said source information as stored, source information after said decoding;

intercepting, using said library, Application Programming Interface calls (API Calls) and system calls, said API calls and system calls involving said source information, said API calls and system calls being related to a calling function; and

returning, using said library, said stored source information to said calling function.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said encoding is performed using a protocol that is employed to relay said email.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said first email gateway represents software installed on another server that is different from a server on which said set of existing email gateways is installed.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said library represents a dynamic link library.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said relaying is performed using intervening code installed on a server executing said set of existing email gateways, said intervening code detecting calls from said set of existing email gateways that involves said IP address of said email client and returning said IP address of said email client to said set of existing email gateways.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

establishing a first socket connection between said email client and said first email gateway;

establishing a second socket connection between said first email gateway and said set of existing email gateways; and

performing handshaking between said first email gateway and said set of existing email gateways after said establishing said first socket and said establishing said second socket, including furnishing said IP address of said email client from said first email gateway to said set of existing email gateways.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising acquiring said port identifier via said first socket connection.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein said set of existing email gateways represents an existing email gateway.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said existing email gateway includes an email server.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising relaying, using said first email gateway, said port identifier of said port of said email client from said first email gateway to said set of existing email gateways, thereby rendering said port identifier available to said set of existing email gateways and enabling said set of existing email gateways to perform at least a portion of said set of existing email handling policies using said source port identifier.

21. An email system, comprising:

an email gateway obtaining source information related to an email, said email being sent by an email client, said source-information including an internet Protocol address (IP address) of said email client, said source information further including a port identifier of a port of said email client, said port of said email client being employed to send out said email, said email gateway further encoding said source information to produce encoded source information;

a library receiving said encoded source information from said email gateway, said library further decoding said encoded source information to obtain said source information;

said library further providing said source information to applications requiring said source information;

circuit hardware implementing tasks associated with said email gateway and said library;

wherein

said library further intercepts Application Programming Interface calls (API calls) and system calls, said API calls and system calls involving said source information, said API calls and system calls being related to a calling function, and wherein said library further returns said source information to said calling function.

22. The email system of claim 21 wherein said email gateway performs said encoding using a protocol that is employed to relay said email.

23. The email system of claim 21 wherein said library represents a dynamic link library.