E-mail authentication
First Claim
1. A method for processing an incoming e-mail, the method comprising:
- receiving, by at least one computer, an e-mail directed to an intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address;
identifying, by the at least one computer, a sender of the e-mail based on a first identifier included in the e-mail;
identifying, by the at least one computer, an address provider from which the sender obtained the intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address, based on a second identifier included in the e-mail, the address provider being distinct from the sender and from the intended recipient;
determining, by querying an authentication resource using the at least one computer, whether the sender is authorized by the address provider to use the intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address for sending e-mail to the intended recipient;
selecting, by the at least one computer, one of permitting delivery of the e-mail to the intended recipient or preventing normal delivery of the e-mail to the intended recipient, based on the determining.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining whether an e-mail originates from a sender authorized by an address provider to send the e-mail to an intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address. The e-mail identifies an address provider from which the intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address was obtained. The e-mail is delivered to the intended recipient only upon verification that the sender is authorized by the address provider to obtain the intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address. The system and method may also provide for determining whether an e-mail originates from a forged source. A server receives data relating to an e-mail, including a purported sender and a verification host. The server queries the verification host with information pertaining to the e-mail and requests confirmation that the e-mail originates from the purported sender. The e-mail is determined to originate from a forged source unless the verification host responds that the e-mail originates from the purported sender.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for processing an incoming e-mail, the method comprising:
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receiving, by at least one computer, an e-mail directed to an intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address; identifying, by the at least one computer, a sender of the e-mail based on a first identifier included in the e-mail; identifying, by the at least one computer, an address provider from which the sender obtained the intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address, based on a second identifier included in the e-mail, the address provider being distinct from the sender and from the intended recipient; determining, by querying an authentication resource using the at least one computer, whether the sender is authorized by the address provider to use the intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address for sending e-mail to the intended recipient; selecting, by the at least one computer, one of permitting delivery of the e-mail to the intended recipient or preventing normal delivery of the e-mail to the intended recipient, based on the determining. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for processing an incoming e-mail, comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the memory holding program instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform the operations of:
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receiving an e-mail directed to an intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address; identifying a sender of the e-mail based on a first identifier included in the e-mail; identifying an address provider from which the sender obtained the intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address, based on a second identifier included in the e-mail, the address provider being distinct from the sender and from the intended recipient; determining, by querying an authentication resource, whether the sender is authorized by the address provider to use the intended recipient'"'"'s e-mail address for sending e-mail to the intended recipient; selecting one of delivering the e-mail to the intended recipient or preventing normal delivery of the e-mail to the intended recipient, based on the determining. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification