Unwanted e-mail filtering

• US 20020116463A1
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Hart, Matthew Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,219,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages

Abstract

A filter mechanism for unwanted e-mail messages uses a downloadable central source (1, 2) of filter rule data. User reports of received unwanted e-mail messages are relayed back to the central source of the filter data and used to automatically update that filter data. An algorithmic approach to identifying characteristics of unwanted e-mail messages may be applied based upon the preponderance of predetermined words within an e-mail message or characteristics of the addressee list. If an e-mail message is identified as suspect, but not definitely unwanted, then it may be encapsulated within a HTML document and sent to its addressee together with buttons (28) allowing the recipient to provide feedback as to whether or not that email message is unwanted. This recipient feedback may be used to establish a new local rule and generate a report back to the central source of the downloadable filter data.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer program operable to control a computer to process received e-mail messages, said computer program comprising:

(i) filter downloading logic operable to download filter data from a remote source, said filter data specifying a plurality of tests that may be used to identify unwanted e-mail messages;

(ii) e-mail filtering logic operable to receive an e-mail message and to apply said plurality of tests to identify unwanted e-mail messages; and

(iii) unwanted message reporting logic operable to allow reporting to a filter data generator a new unwanted e-mail message received and not identified by said plurality of tests such that said filter data may be updated to identify said new unwanted e-mail message.

2. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein said e-mail filtering logic uses a scoring algorithm to identify a received e-mail message as a potentially unwanted e-mail message.

3. A computer program product as claimed in claim 2, wherein said scoring algorithm is responsive to identification of predetermined words within said received e-mail message and a message size of said received e-mail message.

4. A computer program product as claimed in claim 2, wherein said scoring algorithm is responsive to an addressee list of said received e-mail message.

5. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein a received e-mail message identified as a potentially unwanted e-mail message is forwarded to its addressee together with a prompt for said addressee to provide feedback as to whether or not said received e-mail message is an unwanted e-mail message.

6. A computer program product as claimed in claim 5, wherein said potentially unwanted e-mail message is forwarded encapsulated within a markup language document providing voting buttons to allow said addressee to provide said feedback.

7. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, further comprising test creating logic operable to allow creating of a new test to be added to said tests provided by said filter data.

8. A computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computer program arranged to receive and process e-mail messages before they reach an associated target e-mail server.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer program operable to control a computer to process received e-mail messages, said computer program comprising:

(i) e-mail filtering logic operable to receive an e-mail message and to apply at least one test to identify a received e-mail message as a potentially unwanted e-mail message; and

(ii) message forwarding logic operable to forward said potentially unwanted e-mail message to its addressee together with a prompt for said addressee to provide feedback as to whether or not said received e-mail message is an unwanted email message.

10. A computer program product as claimed in claim 9, wherein said potentially unwanted e-mail message is forwarded encapsulated within a markup language document providing voting buttons to allow said addressee to provide said feedback.

11. A computer program product as claimed in claim 9, wherein said message filtering logic is operable to add a new test to those applied to said received e-mail messages in dependence upon said feedback.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one of said plurality of tests uses a scoring algorithm to identify a received e-mail message as a potentially unwanted e-mail message.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said scoring algorithm is responsive to identification of predetermined words within said received e-mail message and a message size of said received e-mail message.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said scoring algorithm is responsive to an addressee list of said received e-mail message.

17. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a received e-mail message identified as a potentially unwanted e-mail message is forwarded to its addressee together with a prompt for said addressee to provide feedback as to whether or not said received e-mail message is an unwanted e-mail message.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said potentially unwanted e-mail message is forwarded encapsulated within a markup language document providing voting buttons to allow said addressee to provide said feedback.

19. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising creating of a new test to be added to said tests provided by said filter data.

20. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said step of receiving occurs before said e-mail messages reach an associated target e-mail server.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer program operable to control a computer to provide downloadable filter data for identifying unwanted email messages, said computer program comprising:

(i) user report receiving logic operable to receive a user report of an unwanted e-mail message received by said user of said downloadable filter data; and

(ii) filter data updating logic operable in response to receipt of one or more of said user reports to modify said downloadable filter data to add a test to identify a new unwanted e-mail message.

13. A method of processing received e-mail messages, said method comprising:

(i) downloading filter data from a remote source, said filter data specifying a plurality of tests that may be used to identify unwanted e-mail messages;

(ii) receiving an e-mail message and applying said plurality of tests to identify unwanted e-mail messages; and

(iii) reporting to a filter data generator a new unwanted e-mail message received and not identified by said plurality of tests such that said filter data may be updated to identify said new unwanted e-mail message.

21. A method of processing received e-mail messages, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving an e-mail message and to apply at least one test to identify a received e-mail message as a potentially unwanted e-mail message; and

(ii) forwarding said potentially unwanted e-mail message to its addressee together with a prompt for said addressee to provide feedback as to whether or not said received e-mail message is an unwanted e-mail message.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein said potentially unwanted e-mail message is forwarded encapsulated within a markup language document providing voting buttons to allow said addressee to provide said feedback.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising adding a new test to those applied to said received e-mail messages in dependence upon said feedback.

26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said e-mail filter uses a scoring algorithm to identify a received e-mail message as a potentially unwanted e-mail message.

27. Apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein said scoring algorithm is responsive to identification of predetermined words within said received e-mail message and a message size of said received e-mail message.

28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein said scoring algorithm is responsive to an addressee list of said received e-mail message.

29. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein a received e-mail message identified as a potentially unwanted e-mail message is forwarded to its addressee together with a prompt for said addressee to provide feedback as to whether or not said received e-mail message is an unwanted e-mail message.

30. Apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said potentially unwanted e-mail message is forwarded encapsulated within a markup language document providing voting buttons to allow said addressee to provide said feedback.

31. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further comprising a test creator operable to allow creating of a new test to be added to said tests provided by said filter data.

32. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said apparatus is arranged to receive and process e-mail messages before they reach an associated target e-mail server.

24. A method of controlling a computer to provide downloadable filter data for identifying unwanted e-mail messages, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving a user report of an unwanted e-mail message received by said user of said downloadable filter data; and

(ii) in response to receipt of one or more of said user reports, modifying said downloadable filter data to add a test to identify a new unwanted e-mail message.

25. Apparatus for processing received e-mail messages, said apparatus comprising:

(i) a filter downloaderc operable to download filter data from a remote source, said filter data specifying a plurality of tests that may be used to identify unwanted e-mail messages;

(ii) an e-mail filter operable to receive an e-mail message and to apply said plurality of tests to identify unwanted e-mail messages; and

(iii) an unwanted message reporterc operable to allow reporting to a filter data generator a new unwanted e-mail message received and not identified by said plurality of tests such that said filter data may be updated to identify said new unwanted e-mail message.

33. Apparatus for processing received e-mail messages, said apparatus comprising:

(i) an e-mail filter operable to receive an e-mail message and to apply at least one test to identify a received e-mail message as a potentially unwanted e-mail message; and

(ii) a message forwarder operable to forward said potentially unwanted email message to its addressee together with a prompt for said addressee to provide feedback as to whether or not said received e-mail message is an unwanted e-mail message.

34. Apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein said potentially unwanted e-mail message is forwarded encapsulated within a markup language document providing voting buttons to allow said addressee to provide said feedback.

35. Apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein said message filter is operable to add a new test to those applied to said received e-mail messages in dependence upon said feedback.

36. Apparatus for providing downloadable filter data for identifying unwanted email messages, said apparatus comprising:

(i) a user report receiver operable to receive a user report of an unwanted e-mail message received by said user of said downloadable filter data; and

(ii) a filter data updater operable in response to receipt of one or more of said user reports to modify said downloadable filter data to add a test to identify a new unwanted e-mail message.