Automatic isolation and detection of outbound spam
First Claim
1. A server computer system having at least one processing unit and at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processing unit cause the server computer system to:
- configure, over a communications network, a partition associated with a plurality of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses;
host outbound email communications for a plurality of customers using the partition, wherein each customer is associated with at least one of the plurality of IP addresses;
determine that the partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications when at least one of the plurality of IP addresses is blocked, wherein the at least one IP address is blocked when a customer associated with the at least one IP address has engaged in an abusive outbound email practice;
in response to determining that the partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications, generate rules to;
divide the partition into a plurality of sub-partitions;
assign one or more of the plurality of IP addresses to each of the plurality of sub-partitions;
host outbound email communications using each of the plurality of sub-partitions;
monitor the plurality of sub-partitions to detect when a sub-partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications;
continue to divide any blocked sub-partition at least a single customer exists in a blocked sub-partition; and
recombine any unblocked sub-partitions into a new partition and reputable IP addresses from other unblocked partitions for hosting outbound email communications.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments provide IP address partitioning features that can be used to source outbound email communications, but the embodiments are not so limited. In an embodiment, a computer-based method operates to identify and/or isolate one or more customers that may be misusing one or more IP addresses of a partition. A system of an embodiment is configured in part to divide a partition that includes one or more potentially misused IP addresses into one or more levels of sub-partitions as part of identifying offending or potentially offending customers. Other embodiments are included.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A server computer system having at least one processing unit and at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processing unit cause the server computer system to:
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configure, over a communications network, a partition associated with a plurality of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses; host outbound email communications for a plurality of customers using the partition, wherein each customer is associated with at least one of the plurality of IP addresses; determine that the partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications when at least one of the plurality of IP addresses is blocked, wherein the at least one IP address is blocked when a customer associated with the at least one IP address has engaged in an abusive outbound email practice;
in response to determining that the partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications, generate rules to;divide the partition into a plurality of sub-partitions; assign one or more of the plurality of IP addresses to each of the plurality of sub-partitions; host outbound email communications using each of the plurality of sub-partitions; monitor the plurality of sub-partitions to detect when a sub-partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications; continue to divide any blocked sub-partition at least a single customer exists in a blocked sub-partition; and recombine any unblocked sub-partitions into a new partition and reputable IP addresses from other unblocked partitions for hosting outbound email communications. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method implemented over a communications network by a computer system having a processing unit and a memory, the method comprising:
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configuring, over the communications network, a partition that includes a plurality of IP addresses; hosting outbound email communications for a group of customers using the partition, wherein each customer is associated with at least one of the plurality of IP addresses; determining, by the processing unit, whether the partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications, wherein the partition is blocked when a customer associated with the partition has engaged in an abusive outbound email practice; in response to determining that the partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications; dividing the blocked partition into a plurality of sub-partitions; randomly assigning one or more customers of the group of customers to each sub-partition; sourcing reputable IP addresses to each of the plurality of sub-partitions;
hosting outbound email communications using each of the plurality of sub-partitions;detecting when a sub-partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications; continue dividing any blocked sub-partition at least a single customer exists in a blocked sub-partition; and recombining any unblocked sub-partitions. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer storage device which stores executable instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, operate to:
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configure, over a communications network, a partition associated with a plurality of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses; host outbound email communications for a plurality of customers using the partition, wherein each customer is associated with at least one of the plurality of IP addresses; determine that the partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications, wherein the partition is blocked when a customer associated with the partition has engaged in an abusive outbound email practice; divide the blocked partition into a plurality of first sub-partitions; assign at least one reputable IP address to each of the plurality of first sub-partitions; host outbound email communications using each of the plurality of first sub-partitions; monitor a status of each of the plurality of first sub-partitions to identify whether a first sub-partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications; in response to identifying a first sub-partition that is blocked and includes more than one customer, then; divide the first sub-partition that is blocked into a plurality of second sub-partitions; assign new IP addresses for each of the plurality of second sub-partitions; host outbound email communications using each of the plurality of second sub-partitions; monitor a status of each of the plurality of second sub-partitions to identify whether a second sub-partition is blocked from hosting outbound email communications; in response to identifying a blocked second sub-partition that includes one customer, identify the one customer as a spamming source; and resolve the blocked partition by recombining unblocked ones of the first and second sub-partitions into a new partition. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification