Client-agnostic and network-agnostic device management

• US 10,841,262 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2018
• Issued: 11/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mimecast North America, Inc. (Mimecast Limited)
• Original Assignee: Etorch Inc.
• Inventors: Everton, Paul R., Gilles, Chad M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Baturay, Alicia
• Application Number:
  US16/150,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20190036859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 709206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

In accordance with an example implementation of this disclosure, an email handler comprises email processing circuitry, a web server, and a database. The email processing circuitry is operable to generate a uniform resource locator for a notification object to be embedded in an email message. The email processing circuitry is operable to embed the notification object in the email message. The email processing circuitry is operable to send the email message into a network. The web server is operable to receive a request sent to the uniform resource locator by a client device. The web server is operable to determine characteristics of the client device based on content of the request. The web server is operable to store the characteristics in the database. The web server is operable to control access to content by the client device based on characteristics of the client device stored in the database.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an email handler comprising email processing circuitry, a web server, and a database, wherein;

the email processing circuitry is operable to generate a uniform resource locator for a notification object to be embedded in an email message;

the email processing circuitry is operable to embed the notification object in the email message;

the email processing circuitry is operable to send the email message into a network;

the web server is operable to receive a request sent to the uniform resource locator by a client device;

the web server is operable to determine characteristics of the client device based on content of the request;

the web server is operable to store the characteristics in the database;

the web server is operable to control access to content by the client device based on characteristics of the client device stored in the database; and

the email message is a password reset email and a recipient is permitted to reset the password only if a time of the request and location from which the request originated meet determined requirements.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the client device include its location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the client device include its IP address.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the client device include its mail user agent.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the client device include how many requests it has sent to the uniform resource locator.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the client device include email recipients associated with the client device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the client device include email senders associated with the client device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the email handler is operable to:

determine a particular email recipient'"'"'s typical email behavior based on the characteristics stored in the database; and

control network access by a device associated with the email recipient based on the determined typical email behavior.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the typical email behavior includes how many times and/or how frequently the email recipient opens emails from one or more particular locations.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the typical email behavior includes how many times and/or how frequently the email recipient opens email messages from one or more particular client devices.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the typical email behavior includes how many times and/or how frequently the email recipient opens email messages at particular times.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the typical email behavior includes other email senders and recipients with whom the particular email recipient has exchanged email messages.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the email handler is operable to:

determine a particular email sender'"'"'s typical email behavior based on the characteristics stored in the database; and

control network access by a device associated with the email sender based on the determined typical email behavior.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the typical email behavior includes how many times and/or how frequently email messages from the email sender are opened emails from one or more particular locations.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the typical email behavior includes how many times and/or how frequently email messages from the email sender are opened from one or more particular client devices.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the typical email behavior includes how many times and/or how frequently email messages from the email sender are opened at particular times.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the typical email behavior includes other email senders and recipients with whom the particular email sender has exchanged email messages.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the email message is sent to a particular email address; and

the email handler is operable to control access to the content by causing a user associated with the particular email address to be logged out of a network system if the characteristics of the client device do not meet determined requirements.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the recipient is permitted to reset the password only if the characteristics of the client device meet determined requirements.