Techniques for managing electronic message distribution

• US 9,059,870 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Sobel, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US13/646,337
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-206, 709217-227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression

Abstract

Techniques for managing electronic message distribution are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for managing electronic message distribution, the method includes analyzing an electronic message, determining whether the electronic message satisfies one of a plurality of predetermined conditions, converting at least a portion of the electronic message from a first format to a second format based on the determination of whether the electronic message satisfies the one of the plurality of predetermined conditions, and transmitting the converted electronic message.

Claims

1. A method for managing electronic message distribution, the method comprising:

analyzing an electronic message;

determining whether the electronic message satisfies one of a plurality of predetermined conditions;

determining a geographical location of an intended recipient of the electronic message;

converting at least a portion of the electronic message from a first predetermined format to a second predetermined format based on the determination of whether the electronic message satisfies the one of the plurality of predetermined conditions and the determined geographical location of the intended recipient of the electronic message, wherein the first predetermined format is a message format locally cacheable by the intended recipient and the second predetermined format is a message format that is not locally cacheable by the intended recipient; and

transmitting the converted electronic message.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of predetermined conditions are set by a user.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the electronic message includes determining whether a header of the electronic message satisfies a first predetermined condition, the first predetermined condition including at least one of a first plurality of predetermined keywords, a known recipient, and a known sender.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the electronic message includes determining whether a body of the electronic message satisfies a second predetermined condition.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the second predetermined condition includes a second plurality of predetermined keywords.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the electronic message includes determining whether the electronic message includes an attachment.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein when the electronic message is determined to include the attachment, the attachment is analyzed to determine whether it satisfies a third predetermined condition.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second predetermined format is a non-cacheable webmail format according to the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) standard.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

intercepting the electronic message;

receiving a request to retrieve electronic messages; and

determining whether the electronic message has yet to be transmitted, in response to the reception of the request,

wherein analyzing the electronic message is performed when it is determined that the electronic message has not yet been transmitted.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an email message, the converted electronic message is transmitted from an electronic messaging server to the intended recipient which is a mobile client, and determining whether the electronic message satisfies one of the plurality of predetermined conditions is performed at a server separate from the electronic messaging server.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the geographical location of the mobile client includes GPS coordinates of the mobile client identified separately from the electronic message.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the geographical location of the mobile client is transmitted from the mobile client to the server.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein a body of the electronic message is converted from the first predetermined format to the second predetermined format when the geographical location of the mobile client is determined to be unknown.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein a body of the electronic message is converted from the first predetermined format to the second predetermined format when the geographical location of the mobile client is determined to be outside of a predetermined area.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein an attachment to the electronic message is converted from the first predetermined format to the second predetermined format based on the determined geographical location of the mobile client.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of electronic messages are converted from the first predetermined format to the second predetermined format based on the determined geographical location of the mobile client.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

classifying the electronic message based on the analysis of the electronic message and the determination of whether the electronic message satisfies the one of the plurality of predetermined conditions;

determining a security policy based on the classification of the electronic message; and

applying the security policy to the electronic message,

wherein the security policy indicates when electronic message is to be converted from the first predetermined format to the second predetermined format.

18. At least one nontransitory processor readable storage medium storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 1.

19. A system for managing electronic message distribution comprising:

one or more processors communicatively coupled to a network;

wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

analyze an electronic message;

determine whether the electronic message satisfies one of a plurality of predetermined conditions;

determine a geographical location of an intended recipient of the electronic message;

convert at least a portion of the electronic message from a first predetermined format to a second predetermined format based on the determination of whether the electronic message satisfies the one of the plurality of predetermined conditions and the determined geographical location of the intended recipient of the electronic message, wherein the first predetermined format is a message format locally cacheable by the intended recipient and the second predetermined format is a message format that is not locally cacheable by the intended recipient; and

transmit the converted electronic message.