System, method, and computer program product for determining whether an electronic mail message is compliant with an etiquette policy

• US 9,077,684 B1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Chebiyyam, Gopi Krishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/187,207
• Time in Patent Office: 2,526 Days
• Field of Search: 715/705.1, 715/765, 715/740, 715/851, 715/853, 715/862, 715/732, 715/769, 715/709, 709/206, 709/209, 709/226
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0245 Filtering by information in the payload

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for determining whether an electronic mail message is compliant with an etiquette policy. In use, a predetermined event associated with an electronic mail message is identified. Additionally, it is determined whether the electronic mail message is compliant with an etiquette policy, in response to the predetermined event. Furthermore, a reaction is performed, based on the determination.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied on a non- transitory medium, comprising:

computer code for identifying a predetermined event associated with an electronic mail message;

computer code for determining whether the electronic mail message is compliant with an etiquette policy that designates a predefined number of acceptable distribution lists for the electronic mail message, wherein determining whether the electronic message is compliant with the etiquette policy includes comparing a number of distribution lists utilized by the electronic mail message to the predefined number of acceptable distribution lists indicated by the etiquette policy; and

computer code for reacting, based on the determination, wherein if the electronic mail message complies with the etiquette policy then it is permitted to be transmitted to a next destination in a network, and wherein if the electronic mail message does not comply with the etiquette policy, it is quarantined and prevented from reaching the next destination.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the determining is carried out utilizing an application situated on a client device.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, and further comprising computer code for displaying indicia, wherein the predetermined event includes a selection of the indicia.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the indicia includes a send icon.

5. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the indicia includes a check icon.

6. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein an update for the etiquette policy is received locally at the client device.

7. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein an update for the etiquette policy is received at the client device from a management server over a network.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, and further comprising computer code for allowing a user to select a plurality of electronic mail messages for being subject to the determining and reacting.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the determining is carried out at a server device.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein an update for the etiquette policy is received locally at that server device.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein an update for the etiquette policy is received from a different server including a management server over a network.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event includes a receipt of the electronic mail message over a network.

13. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event includes a command received from an administrator.

14. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the etiquette policy relates to a size of the electronic mail message.

15. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the etiquette policy relates to a format of the electronic mail message.

16. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the etiquette policy relates to a disclaimer included with the electronic mail message.

17. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the etiquette policy relates to a signature of the electronic mail message.

18. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the etiquette policy relates to a number of recipients of the electronic mail message.

19. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the etiquette policy relates to at least one of a distribution list utilized by the electronic mail message, a type of attachment of the electronic mail message, a number of attachments of the electronic mail message, and a font of the electronic mail message.

20. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the reacting includes at least one of quarantining the electronic mail message, deleting the electronic mail message, categorizing the electronic mail message, preventing the electronic mail message from being transmitted, and reporting the electronic mail message.

21. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the reacting includes sending at least one of an event and data to a management server indicating a result of the determination.

22. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the reacting includes notifying at least one of an information technology (IT) department, an IT administrator, and senior management.

23. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the reacting includes logging a result of the determination.

24. A method, comprising:

identifying, at a server that includes a processor, a predetermined event associated with an electronic mail message generated by a first client device;

determining whether the electronic mail message is compliant with an etiquette policy that designates a predefined number of acceptable distribution lists for the electronic mail message, wherein determining whether the electronic message is compliant with the etiquette policy includes comparing a number of distribution lists utilized by the electronic mail message to the predefined number of acceptable distribution lists indicated by the etiquette policy; and

reacting, based on the determination, wherein if the electronic mail message complies with the etiquette policy then it is permitted to be transmitted to a second client device in a network, and wherein if the electronic mail message does not comply with the etiquette policy, it is quarantined and prevented from reaching the second client device.

25. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the system is configured for;

identifying a predetermined event associated with an electronic mail message,

determining whether the electronic mail message is compliant with an etiquette policy that designates a predefined number of acceptable distribution lists for the electronic mail message, wherein determining whether the electronic message is compliant with the etiquette policy includes comparing a number of distribution lists utilized by the electronic mail message to the predefined number of acceptable distribution lists indicated by the etiquette policy, and

reacting, based on the determination, wherein if the electronic mail message complies with the etiquette policy then it is permitted to be transmitted to a next destination in a network, and wherein if the electronic mail message does not comply with the etiquette policy, it is quarantined and prevented from reaching the next destination.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is coupled to the memory via a bus.