Automatic delivery selection for electronic content

• US 9,647,971 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZixCorp Systems, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ZixCorp Systems, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Cook, David P., Liu, Gary G., Kalan, John
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ELLEN C
• Application Number:
  US14/635,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20150244663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

Computer program products and methods for the secure delivery of a message in a communication system. The method includes identifying a best method for delivery of a message including considering preferences of a sender and a recipient and sending the message from the sender to the recipient using the identified method.

Claims

1. A method for secure delivery of a message in a communication system comprising:

automatically identifying a method for delivery of a message wherein the message is an email message and wherein the method is selected from among three supported delivery methods including direct, gateway and Web browser-accessible message center delivery methods, wherein automatically identifying includes;

identifying preferences for delivery of the sender and the recipient including determining an availability of security parameters for securing content of the message, wherein the security parameters include a recipient key and a recipient gateway key; and

automatically determining, by one or more processors, a preferred ordering from among the three supported delivery methods including when to first send the message directly to the recipient, when to first send the message through a gateway and when to notify the recipient to retrieve the message at the Web browser-accessible message center based on the sender, recipient and availability;

attempting delivery of the message based on the preferred ordering, determining when message delivery is not available using a first method of the three supported delivery methods in accordance with the preferred ordering, attempting another delivery of the message based on the preferred ordering using a second method, determining when the another delivery is not available using the second method, and delivering the message based on preferred ordering using a third method in accordance with the preferred ordering.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the direct delivery includes encrypting the message using public key encryption and retrieving a public key for the recipient to encrypt the message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the gateway delivery method includes encrypting the message using public key encryption, encrypting the message using the public key of a recipient gateway that is coupled between the sender and the recipient, delivering the message encrypted to a recipient'"'"'s gateway, and decrypting the message at the recipient'"'"'s gateway prior to sending the message to the recipient.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising scanning the decrypted message at the recipient'"'"'s gateway for inappropriate, unwanted or unauthorized content.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising dropping the message if the scanning step detects inappropriate, unwanted or unauthorized content.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising logging the detected content.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the gateway delivery method includes

directing the message from the sender to a sending gateway;

scanning the message for disclosure of corporate secrets or sensitive information; and

processing the message if the scanning step detects disclosure of corporate secrets or sensitive information.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein processing includes dropping the message.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein processing includes logging the message.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein a delivery method selected is based at least in part on whether the message contains:

corporate secrets or sensitive information.