Method and apparatus for trusted branded email

• US 8,621,217 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iconix Incorporated (Matthews Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jose J. Picazo, Jr Separate Property Trust
• Inventors: Seshadri, Harish, Ruane, Noel
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nirav B
• Application Number:
  US12/234,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20090013197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/170, 713/181, 713/160, 713/161, 726/1, 726 12- 14, 726 22- 24, 709201-207, 715/748, 715/739, 705/51, 705/54
• US Class Current: 713/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/68 Special signature format, e.g. XML format
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/76 Proxy, i.e. using intermediary entity to perform cryptographic operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

A trusted branded email method and apparatus in one aspect detects branded electronic messages and performs validation before it is sent to a recipient. In another aspect, an electronic messages is branded by embedding branding assets and validation signatures. Algorithms that generate validation signatures are dynamically selected to further strengthen the security aspects. Branding assets are presented to a user using a distinct indicia that represents to the user that the branding assets are secure.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for trusted branded email, comprising:

a brand mail system receiving an electronic message in a reader component from a writer component, wherein the electronic message comprises,

an email message;

at least one branding asset that is uniquely assigned to a sender domain, and adapted to provide a visible indicia to the recipient of the message in the recipient'"'"'s in box list view that the message arrived unaltered from an original sender that is indicated in a “

from”

field of an email header, wherein the at least one branding asset comprises one or more media constructs, wherein a media construct comprises one or more of a company logo, a video, and sound effects;

a tamper proof digest value; and

an algorithm index; and

the brand mail system determining whether a domain configuration of the reader component matches a domain configuration of the writer component, wherein if the domain configuration of the reader component does not match the domain configuration of the writer component, the brand mail system generates an error, and wherein if the domain configuration of the reader component does match the domain configuration of the writer component, the method further comprises,

the brand mail system detecting whether the email message is a branded email message;

the brand mail system determining whether the email message is encrypted;

the brand mail system decrypting the message comprising retrieving the algorithm index and using the algorithm index to select a decryption algorithm to use for decrypting; and

if decryption is successful, the brand mail system validating the tamper proof digest value comprising,

generating a comparison value using the algorithm index and multipurpose internet mail extensions (mime) data from the email message; and

comparing the comparison value with the tamper proof digest value; and

if the comparison value matches the tamper proof digest value, the brand mail system allowing the message to be transmitted to a receiver; and

if the comparison value does not match the tamper proof digest value, the brand mail system logging an error and halting further processing of the email message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the validating the message as a branded email includes at least checking if one or more of a predetermined header entries are present in the message.

3. A method for trusted branded email, comprising:

forming a branded email message using a brand mail writer component, the branded email message comprising,

at least one branding asset that is uniquely assigned to a writer email domain having a writer domain configuration, wherein the branding asset is adapted to provide one or more indicia in a “

from”

field of an email header in a recipient'"'"'s email inbox list view indicating that the message arrived unaltered from an original sender, wherein the at least one branding asset comprises one or more media constructs comprising a graphic image, video and sound effects;

an algorithm index;

a tamper proof digest value; and

mapping the branded message to the writer domain configuration;

receiving the branded email message in a brand mail reader component having a reader domain configuration; and

the reader component determining whether the reader domain configuration matches the writer domain configuration, wherein if the reader domain configuration does not match the writer domain configuration, the reader component generates an error, and wherein if the reader domain configuration does match the writer domain configuration, the method further comprises,

retrieving the algorithm index from the message; and

using the algorithm index to select an algorithm for decrypting the email message;

validating the tamper proof digest value, comprising,

determining a hash value using the combined algorithm index and multipurpose internet mail extensions (mime) data from the branded message; and

comparing the hash value with the tamper proof digest value;

allowing the branded message to be transmitted to an end user if the hash value matches the tamper proof digest value; and

if the hash value does not match the tamper proof digest value, logging an error and halting further processing of the email message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the retrieving an algorithm index from the message includes at least:

retrieving one or more header data from message; and

retrieving the algorithm index from the header data.

5. A trusted branded mail system, comprising:

a brand mail writer subsystem operable to form a branded electronic message, wherein forming comprises,

inserting one or more branding assets in the branded electronic message, that is uniquely assigned to a sender domain, and adapted to provide a visible indicia to the recipient of the message in the recipient'"'"'s in box list view that the message arrived unaltered from an original sender that is indicated in a “

from”

field of an email header, wherein the one or more branding assets comprises one or more media constructs including graphics, video and sound effects;

inserting an algorithm index in the branded electronic message;

inserting a tamper proof digest value in the branded electronic message; and

mapping the branded message to a brand mail configuration, wherein a brand-mail configuration is associated with an email domain; and

a brand mail reader subsystem comprising computer hardware, computer firmware and computer software operable to receive the branded electronic message, the brand mail reader subsystem further operable to,

determine whether a domain configuration of the writer subsystem matches a domain configuration of the reader subsystem, wherein if the domain configuration of the writer subsystem does not match the domain configuration of the reader subsystem, the reader subsystem generates an error, and if the domain configuration of the writer subsystem does match the domain configuration of the reader subsystem, the reader subsystem is further operable to,

detect whether the email message is a branded email;

determine whether the email message is encrypted;

the reader subsystem decrypting the message comprising retrieving the algorithm index and using the algorithm index to select a decryption algorithm to use for decrypting; and

if decryption is successful, the reader subsystem validating the tamper proof digest value comprising,

generating a comparison value using the algorithm index and multipurpose internet mail extensions (mime) data from the email message; and

comparing the comparison value with the tamper proof digest value; and

if the comparison value matches the tamper proof digest value, the brand mail system allowing the message to be transmitted to a receiver; and

if the comparison value does not match the tamper proof digest value, the brand mail system logging an error and halting further processing of the email message.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the brand mail reader is further operable to present the one or more branding assets in the branded electronic message to a user if the branded electronic message is determined to be valid.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the branding assets comprise a company logo appearing in an inbox, and in the branded electronic message.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the branding assets are presented to the user before the user actually opens content of the branded email electronic message.