Preventing execution of programs that are embedded in email messages

• US 8,281,247 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daniell, W. Todd, Malik, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ludwig, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/638,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20100088386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 715/234, 715/752, 726/24
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer

Abstract

Systems and methods are presented which generate modified email messages, which are largely devoid of embedded functions, from original email messages, which have embedded functions. The embedded functions are amenable to self-executing codes such as viruses, worms, and Trojan programs. Thus, the modified email message without these embedded functions, and any argument associated with these functions, provides a more secure email environment.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code for preventing execution of functions embedded in email messages, the computer-readable medium comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive an indication to display a first email message;

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to search a first hypertext markup language (HTML) formatted email message with HTML tags to find at least one predetermined HTML tag, the first email message being stored in non-volatile memory;

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to generate a second email message in response to an indication to display the first email message, the second email message being a modified message of the first email message and generated from the first email message without including at least one found predetermined HTML tags;

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to display the second email message in response to the indication to display the first email message; and

computer-readable code adapted to forward the first email message to a forwarding recipient, in response to a user selection to forward the second email message,

wherein the entire contents of the first email message are left unaltered.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to provide an option to remove at least one of the found HTML tags; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive an indication to remove at least one of the found HTML tags.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to filter the first email message for at least one predetermined HTML tag.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to compare found HTML tag tags in the first email message to a list of predetermined HTML tags.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the list of predetermined HTML tags comprises:

a hypertext markup language (HTML) input element;

an HTML VBScript element;

an HTML JScript element;

an HTML applet element;

an HTML object element; and

a combination thereof.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to open an email read window; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to display the second email message in the email read window.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the second email message comprises:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to provide an email preview pane in an email client; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to display the second email message in the email preview pane.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the second email is generated from the first email message without including any arguments from the first email message and without including any tagged text associated with the found predetermined HTML tags.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to generate a list of predetermined HTML tags in response to a user request.

10. A system including a processor for preventing execution of executable functions that are embedded in email messages, the system comprising:

logic adapted to search a first hypertext markup language (HTML) formatted email message with HTML tags to find at least one predetermined HTML tag, the first email message being stored in non-volatile memory;

logic adapted to generate a second email message in response to an indication to display the first email message, the second email message being a modified message of the first email message and generated from the first email message without including at least one found predetermined HTML tags;

logic adapted to display the second email message in response to the indication to display the first email message; and

logic adapted to forward the first email message to a forwarding recipient, in response to a user selection to forward the second email message,

wherein the entire contents of the first email message are left unaltered.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

logic adapted to provide an option to remove at least one of the found HTML tags; and

logic adapted to receive an indication to remove at least one of the found HTML tags.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

logic adapted to filter the first email message for at least one predetermined HTML tag.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

logic adapted to compare found HTML tag tags in the first email message to a list of predetermined HTML tags.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein a list of predetermined HTML tags comprises:

a hypertext markup language (HTML) input element;

an HTML VBScript element;

an HTML JScript element;

an HTML applet element;

an HTML object element; and

a combination thereof.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

logic adapted to open an email read window; and

logic adapted to display the second email message in the email read window.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

logic adapted to provide an email preview pane in an email client; and

logic adapted to display the second email message in the email preview pane.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the second email is generated from the first email message without including any arguments from the first email message and without including any tagged text associated with the found predetermined HTML tags.

18. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

logic adapted to generate a list of predetermined HTML tags in response to a user request.

19. An email security system, the system comprising a processor to:

receive a first hypertext markup language (HTML) formatted email message having HTML tags;

receive an indication to display the received first email message;

generate a second email message based on the first email message by

searching, in response to receiving the user input to highlight the first email message, the first email message to find a predetermined HTML tag, and

in response to finding the predetermined HTML tag, generating the second email message without the found predetermined HTML tag from the first message;

display the second email message;

forward the first email message to a forwarding recipient, in response to a user selection to forward the displayed second email message,

wherein the entire contents of the first email message are left unaltered.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the predetermined HTML tag is selected from the group consisting of input, VBScript, JScript, applet, object and a combination thereof.