Method and system for securing E-mail transmissions

• US 8,219,798 B1
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (f/k/a ITUS Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (f/k/a ITUS Corporation)
• Inventors: DiSanto, Frank J., Krusos, Denis A., Lewit, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ELLEN C
• Application Number:
  US12/928,668
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 713150-153
• US Class Current: 713/152
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/061 applying further key derivation, e.g. deriving traffic keys from a pair-wise master key
• 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 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms

Abstract

A method for frustrating unauthorized access to an electronic mail message having address, body and attachment information and being transmitted from a first computer to a second computer, including: at the first computer: detecting a request to send the message; encrypting the extracted body information; replacing the extracted body information with the encrypted body information; extracting the attachment information; encrypting the extracted attachment information; replacing the extracted attachment information with the encrypted attachment information; returning the message having the encrypted body and attachment information to the mail user application; and transmitting the message having the encrypted body and attachment information to a third computer; and, at the third computer: decrypting and re-encrypting the transmitted body information; decrypting and re-encrypting the transmitted attachment information; and, transmitting the re-encrypted body and attachment information to the second computer.

Claims

1. A method for frustrating unauthorized access to an electronic mail message having address, body and attachment information and being transmitted from a first computing device to a second computing device, comprising:

at the first computing device;

detecting a request to send the message from a mall user agent application being executed at the first computing device;

extracting the body information from the message;

encrypting the extracted body information;

replacing the extracted body information in the message with the encrypted body information;

extracting the attachment information from the message;

encrypting the extracted attachment information;

replacing the extracted attachment information in the message with the encrypted attachment information; and

,

returning the message having the encrypted body and attachment information to the mail user application for transmission to the second computing device in accordance with the address information; and

transmitting the message having the encrypted body and attachment information in lieu of the extracted body and attachment information to a third computing device distinct from the second computing device; and

,

at the third computing device;

decrypting and re-encrypting the transmitted body information;

decrypting and re-encrypting the transmitted attachment information; and

,

transmitting the re-encrypted body and attachment information in lieu of the extracted body and attachment information to the second computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the second computing device:

extracting the re-encrypted body information from a received message;

decrypting the extracted body information;

replacing the extracted body information in the message with the decrypted body information;

extracting the attachment information from the message;

decrypting the extracted attachment information;

replacing the extracted attachment information in the message with the decrypted extracted attachment information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypting uses a session key.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the session key is unique to each e-mail.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the session key corresponds to a fixed recipient key.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the session key further corresponds to a dynamically generated originator key.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected request is from a mail user agent application being executed at the first computing device.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing the message with the decrypted extracted body and attachment information to a mail user agent being executed at the second computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message further has subject information, and the method further comprises extracting and encrypting the subject information at the first computing device.

10. A method for frustrating unauthorized access to an electronic mail message having address, body and attachment information and being transmitted from a first computing device executing a mail user agent application to a second computing device executing a mail user agent application, comprising:

at a third computing device;

receiving the electronic mail message;

decrypting and re-encrypting the body information;

decrypting and re-encrypting the received attachment information; and

,

transmitting the re-encrypted body and attachment information in lieu of the decrypted body and attachment information to the second computing device; and

at the second computing device;

extracting the re-encrypted body information from the transmitted message;

decrypting the extracted body information;

lacing the extracted body information in the message with the decrypted extracted body information;

extracting the attachment information from the message;

decrypting the extracted attachment information;

replacing the extracted attachment information in the message with the decrypted extracted attachment information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the re-encrypting uses a session key.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the session key is unique to each e-mail message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the session key corresponds to a fixed recipient key.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the session key further corresponds to a dynamically generated originator key.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing the message with the decrypted extracted body and attachment information to the mail user agent being executed at the second computing device.

16. A system for frustrating unauthorized access to an electronic mail message having address, body and attachment information and being transmitted from a first computing device to a second computing device, comprising:

a first computer readable medium being accessible by said first computing device and comprising code, which when executed by the first computing device causes the first computing device to;

detect a request to send the message from a mail user agent application also being executed by the first computing device;

extract the body information from the message;

encrypt the extracted body information;

replace the extracted body information in the message with the encrypted body information;

extract the attachment information from the message;

encrypt the extracted attachment information;

replace the extracted attachment information in the message with the encrypted attachment information; and

,

return the message having the encrypted body and attachment information to the mail user application for transmission to the second computing device in accordance with the address information; and

transmit the message having the encrypted body and attachment information in lieu of the extracted body and attachment information to a third computing device distinct from the second computing device; and

,

a second computer readable medium being accessible by the third computing device and comprising code, which when executed by the third computing device causes the third computing device to;

decrypt and re-encrypt the transmitted body information;

decrypt and re-encrypt the transmitted attachment information; and

,

transmit the re-encrypted body and attachment information in lieu of the extracted body and attachment information to the second computing device.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a third computer readable medium being accessible by said second computing device and comprising code, which when executed by the second computing device causes the second computing device to:

extract the re-encrypted body information from a received message;

decrypt the extracted body information;

replace the extracted body information in the message with the decrypted body information;

extract the attachment information from the message;

decrypt the extracted attachment information;

replace the extracted attachment information in the message with the decrypted extracted attachment information; and

,

provide the message with the decrypted extracted body and attachment information to a mail user agent being executed by the second computing device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second computer readable medium further comprises code, which when executed by the third computing device causes the third computing device to take an action related to a policy if the extracted information is not re-encrypted.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the action is selected from the group consisting of transmitting the extracted information without re-encrypting and transmitting a notification to a fourth computing device distinct from the first, second and third computing devices.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the policy is related to a government privacy requirement.

21. A system for frustrating unauthorized access to an electronic mail message having address, body and attachment information and being transmitted from a first computing device executing a mail user agent application to a second computing device executing a mail user agent application, comprising:

a first computer readable medium being accessible by a third computing device and comprising code, which when executed by the third computing device causes the third computing device to;

receive the electronic mail message;

decrypt and re-encrypt the body information;

decrypt and re-encrypt the received attachment information; and

,

transmit the re-encrypted body and attachment information in lieu of the decrypted body and attachment information to the second computing device; and

a second computer readable medium being accessible by the second computing device and comprising code, which when executed by the second computing device causes the second computing device to;

extract the re-encrypted body information from the transmitted message;

decrypt the extracted body information;

replace the extracted body information in the message with the decrypted extracted body information;

extract the attachment information from the message;

decrypt the extracted attachment information;

replace the extracted attachment information in the message with the decrypted extracted attachment information; and

provide the message with the decrypted extracted body and attachment information to the mail user agent being executed by the second computing device.