Method and apparatus for certifying mass emailings
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- a control center creating, without human interaction, bulk filters for groups of a plurality of received email messages, the control center comprising a computer system;
the control center receiving a request from a mass mailer to perform a certified mass mailing, wherein the request includes a sample email message of the mass mailer, the mass mailer comprising a computer system;
in response to receiving the request, the control center generating a key to be associated with the certified mass mailing and sending the key to the mass mailer;
the control center distributing the created bulk filters, the sample email message, and the key to a plurality of mail servers;
wherein the bulk filters are usable by a given one of the plurality of mail servers to determine whether messages received at the given mail server are bulk email messages; and
wherein the given mail server is configured to identify a bulk email message as being part of the certified mass mailing by;
comparing the bulk email message with one or more samples of certified mass mailings to determine whether a match is found between the bulk email message and the sample email message, wherein the one or more samples include the sample email message;
in response to finding the match, determining whether the bulk email message includes the key associated with the certified mass mailing; and
identifying the bulk email message as being part of the certified mass mailing in response to the bulk email message including the key associated with the certified mass mailing.
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Abstract
A method and system for creating bulk filters are described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving probe email messages indicative of spam, grouping similar probe email messages, and creating a bulk filter for each group having at least a predefined number of probe email messages without human interaction. The method further includes distributing the resulting bulk filters to clients for detection of bulk email messages at the clients.
85 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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a control center creating, without human interaction, bulk filters for groups of a plurality of received email messages, the control center comprising a computer system; the control center receiving a request from a mass mailer to perform a certified mass mailing, wherein the request includes a sample email message of the mass mailer, the mass mailer comprising a computer system; in response to receiving the request, the control center generating a key to be associated with the certified mass mailing and sending the key to the mass mailer; the control center distributing the created bulk filters, the sample email message, and the key to a plurality of mail servers; wherein the bulk filters are usable by a given one of the plurality of mail servers to determine whether messages received at the given mail server are bulk email messages; and wherein the given mail server is configured to identify a bulk email message as being part of the certified mass mailing by; comparing the bulk email message with one or more samples of certified mass mailings to determine whether a match is found between the bulk email message and the sample email message, wherein the one or more samples include the sample email message; in response to finding the match, determining whether the bulk email message includes the key associated with the certified mass mailing; and identifying the bulk email message as being part of the certified mass mailing in response to the bulk email message including the key associated with the certified mass mailing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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a computer system receiving a request from a mass mailer to perform a certified mass mailing, wherein the request includes a sample email message of the mass mailer, the mass mailer comprising a second computer system; in response to receiving the request, the computer system distributing the sample email message and a key to be associated with the certified mass mailing to a plurality of other computer systems; and wherein each of the plurality of other computer systems is configured to identify a bulk email message as being part of the certified mass mailing by; comparing the bulk email message and the sample email message to determine whether a match is found; in response to finding the match, determining whether the bulk email message includes the key associated with the certified mass mailing; and identifying the bulk email message as being part of the certified mass mailing in response to the bulk email message including the key associated with the certified mass mailing. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A computer mail system comprising:
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a processor; and a memory storing program instructions executable to; receive a request from a mass mailer to perform a certified mass mailing, wherein the request includes a sample email message of the mass mailer, the mass mailer comprising a computer system; in response to receiving the request, generate a key to be associated with the certified mass mailing and send the key to the mass mailer; and distribute the sample email message and the key to a plurality of mail servers, wherein each mail server is configured to; compare a bulk email message with the sample email message; in response to finding that the bulk email message and the sample email message match, determine whether the bulk email message includes the key associated with the certified mass mailing; and identify the bulk email message as being part of the certified mass mailing in response to the bulk email message including the key associated with the certified mass mailing.
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14. A computer readable memory medium storing program instructions executable on a mail processing computer system to:
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create bulk filters for groups of a plurality of received email messages without human interaction; receive a request from a mass mailer to perform a certified mass mailing, wherein the request includes a sample email message of the mass mailer, the mass mailer comprising a computer system; in response to receiving the request, generate a key to be associated with the certified mass mailing and send the key to the mass mailer; distribute the created bulk filters, the sample email message, and the generated key to a plurality of mail servers; wherein the bulk filters are usable by a given one of the plurality of mail servers to determine whether messages received at the given mail server are bulk email messages; and wherein the given mail server is configured to identify a bulk email message as being part of the certified mass mailing by; comparing the bulk email message with one or more samples of certified mass mailings to determine whether a match is found between the bulk email message and the sample email message, wherein the one or more samples include the sample email message; in response to finding the match, determining whether the bulk email message includes the key associated with the certified mass mailing; and identifying the bulk email message as being part of the certified mass mailing in response to the bulk email message including the key associated with the certified mass mailing. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A computer readable memory medium storing program instructions executable on a mail processing computer system to:
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receive a request from a mass mailer to perform a certified mass mailing, wherein the request includes a sample email message of the mass mailer, the mass mailer comprising a computer system; in response to receiving the request, generate a key to be associated with the certified mass mailing and send the key to the mass mailer; and distribute the sample email message and the key to a plurality of mail servers, wherein each mail server is configured to; compare a bulk email message with the sample email message; in response to finding that the bulk email message and the sample email message match, determine whether the bulk email message includes the key associated with the certified mass mailing; and identify the bulk email message as being part of the certified mass mailing in response to the bulk email message including the key associated with the certified mass mailing.
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Specification