System and method for secure communications

• US 8,595,495 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Batya Barhon Mayer
• Original Assignee: Batya Barhon Mayer
• Inventors: Mayer, Yaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Dada, Beemnet
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELL, KALISH K
• Application Number:
  US10/907,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20050228996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,150 Days
• Field of Search: 713/170, 713/151, 713/153, 713/154, 713/178, 709/206, 709/209
• US Class Current: 713/170
• 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 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32 Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device H04N1/38, H04N1/387 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32016 according to the caller's identification, e.g. fax number H04N1/3201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID

Abstract

A method for secure data communications in fax transmissions and computer network communications comprising a. Allowing the sender to receive confirmation that the receiver received the message without having to rely on the receiver accessing a web site; b. Enabling the sender to prove a message was sent to the intended receiver at the specified time/date; c. Enabling the sender to prove the content of the sent message; d. Enabling the receiver to know that the message originates from the purported sender without need to rely on encryption and digital signatures; e. Preventing the theft of digital signatures based on hardware that contains encryption keys and a surrounding processing in isolation so that malicious software cannot cheat the users by accessing said hardware; f. Preventing forgeries of source addresses of the senders which is applied to the sender'"'"'s phone number, the sender'"'"'s email addresses, and/or the sender'"'"'s IP addresses.

Claims

1. A method for secure delivery or receipt of electronic messages, comprising:

a) registering a user as a subscribing user;

b) maintaining a web server for preventing receipt of electronic messages associated with malicious software, said server configured to;

receive electronic messages sent to subscribing users;

to authenticate the IP address of a sender of said electronic messages; and

to refuse to relay said electronic messages to a receiving subscribing user until said authentication is complete;

wherein said authentication is performed by said web server sending an automated message to said IP address, and said server receiving an acknowledgement message stating that said IP address exists;

wherein, upon delivery of said electronic messages, said web server is configured to send to said sender a confirmation that said electronic messages have been relayed to said receiving subscribing user, said confirmation comprising;

a serial number of said electronic messages with a time and a date stamp, or a digital key based on a unique signature of said web server; and

wherein each relay server or router participating in delivery of said electronic messages is configured to add a unique signature with an encrypted time and date stamp to packets comprising said electronic messages, and said each relay server or router is configured to prevent relay of packets having an incorrect signature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication of said IP address of a sender is performed by said server requesting a code or requesting the exact time when the message was generated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication of said IP address of a sender is performed by said server checking whether the electronic message or the packets that comprise the electronic message include a confirmation of said IP address of said sender;

said confirmation added by the Internet Service Provider of said sender.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication of said IP address of a sender is performed by said server checking whether the IP address indicated on an electronic message correlates to the geographical location from which the message was sent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication of said IP address of a sender is performed by said server checking that the phone number from which the sender connected to the Internet correlates with a list of authenticated phone numbers related to known senders.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein if said server detects that said phone number or said indicated IP address related to said phone number, change more than a predetermined amount of times during a session, the server is configured to automatically block relay of electronic messages from said IP address or from said phone number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication of said IP address of a sender is performed by a relay node returning a packet to a sender, then awaiting automatic confirmation from a sender that the initial packet was indeed sent by the IP address associated with the sender.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the confirmation includes the content of said delivered electronic message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the confirmation includes a fingerprint of the content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation is sent when the recipient viewed the header of the electronic message.