Just-in-time, email embedded URL reputation determination
First Claim
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1. A program storage device, on which is stored instructions for determining whether to allow traversal of a hyperlink embedded in an email, comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors causes an email gateway to:
- receive an email;
create a message identifier for the email;
generate meta-information corresponding to the email;
store the meta-information in a database, keyed by the message identifier;
encrypt the message identifier;
modify a resource locator of a hyperlink contained in the email to include the encrypted message identifier;
deliver the email to a recipient mailbox;
receive the message identifier from a web gateway;
determine a current reputation of the email from a reputation server; and
providing the current reputation of the email to the web gateway.
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Abstract
A system allows just-in-time checking of information about an email in which a hyperlink is embedded. Upon receipt of the email containing the hyperlink, the resource locator of the hyperlink is modified to allow checking the reputation of the email upon traversal of the hyperlink. At traversal of the hyperlink, the current reputation of the resource locator and the current reputation of the email are both determined, and one or more actions are performed responsive to the determination.
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A program storage device, on which is stored instructions for determining whether to allow traversal of a hyperlink embedded in an email, comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors causes an email gateway to:
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receive an email; create a message identifier for the email; generate meta-information corresponding to the email; store the meta-information in a database, keyed by the message identifier; encrypt the message identifier; modify a resource locator of a hyperlink contained in the email to include the encrypted message identifier; deliver the email to a recipient mailbox; receive the message identifier from a web gateway; determine a current reputation of the email from a reputation server; and providing the current reputation of the email to the web gateway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for determining whether to allow traversal of a hyperlink embedded in an email, comprising:
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a web gateway; and an email gateway, wherein the web gateway comprises; a processor; a storage device, coupled to the processor, on which is stored software comprising instructions for causing the processor to; receive a request to make a connection to a location specified by a resource locator of a hyperlink embedded in an email; determine an identity of the email based on the resource locator; determine a current reputation of the email; and determine a current reputation of the resource locator; and perform an action responsive to a reputation of the resource locator and the email, wherein the email gateway comprises; a processor; a storage device, coupled to the processor, on which is stored software comprising instructions for causing the processor to; receive the email; and modify the resource locator in the email to identify the email. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for determining whether to allow traversal of a hyperlink embedded in an email, comprising:
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receiving an email by an email gateway computer, comprising; determining an initial reputation of the email by requesting a reputation of the email from a reputation server; modifying a first resource locator of a hyperlink embedded in the email to identify the email; and deliver the email to a mailbox of a recipient; and receiving by the email gateway from a web gateway a request to traverse the first resource locator, comprising; determining a current reputation of the first resource locator by requesting a current reputation of the first resource locator from the reputation server; analyzing the first resource locator to identify the email in which the hyperlink was embedded; determining a current reputation of the email by requesting a current reputation of the email from the reputation server; and providing the current reputation of the first resource locator and the current reputation of the email to a web gateway for determining whether to allow traversal of the first resource locator. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification