Secure message forwarding system detecting user's preferences including security preferences

• US 20040025057A1
• Filed: 07/08/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZixCorp Systems, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zix Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Cook, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,475,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• 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 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 63/123 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A system and method for providing secure E-mail services. The system includes a forwarding service operable to receive an E-mail message for delivery to a recipient, store the message at least temporarily in a storage means and check for recipient preferences for delivery of the E-mail message content. If no preference is specified and if Web-based delivery is specified, the system provides an E-mail notification to the recipient including a secure link to the message and responds to a page request from the recipient indicating the message including extracting the message from the storage means, formatting the message as a page and delivering the page to the recipient'"'"'s web browser. If a preference for delivery other than Web-based is specified, the system delivers the message in accordance with the recipient'"'"'s preference.

Claims

1. A system for providing secure E-mail services comprising:

a forwarding service operable to receive an E-mail message for delivery to a recipient;

store the message at least temporarily in a storage means;

check for recipient preferences for delivery of the E-mail message content;

if no preference is specified and if Web-based delivery is specified, provide an E-mail notification to the recipient including a secure link to the message, and

respond to a page request from the recipient indicating the message including extracting the message from the storage means, formatting the message as a page and delivering the page to the recipient'"'"'s web browser; and

if a preference for delivery other than Web-based is specified, deliver the message in accordance with the recipient'"'"'s preference.