×

Methods, systems, and computer program products for mitigating email address harvest attacks by positively acknowledging email to invalid email addresses

  • US 8,943,591 B2
  • Filed: 02/18/2013
  • Issued: 01/27/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2009
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method of detecting and responding to an email address harvest attack at an Internet service provider email system, comprising:

  • counting a number of failed email address look-ups during a single simple mail transfer protocol session associated with an originating Internet protocol address;

    responding to the originating Internet protocol address with a positive acknowledgement that an otherwise invalid email address exists when the count of the number of failed email address look-ups exceeds a threshold;

    creating a fake email inbox for each otherwise invalid email address responded to with the positive acknowledgement, each fake email inbox having a spam folder associated therewith; and

    processing email addressed to each fake email inbox using a spam filter.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×