Method and apparatus for regulating unsolicited electronic mail

• US 20050210272A1
• Filed: 11/17/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Keith A. Fotta
• Original Assignee: Keith A. Fotta
• Inventors: Fotta, Keith A.
• Application Number:
  US10/990,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210272A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

A method and apparatus for preventing unsolicited electronic mail from unwanted or illegitimate commercial entities while allowing legitimate commercial entities, subject to compliance with a regulating authority, to distribute UCE.

Claims

1. A method for regulating unsolicited electronic mail (e-mail) comprising:

assigning a unique authentication identifier to certified entities for attachment to outgoing e-mails from the certified entities;

providing an authentication key for recognizing authentication identifiers of certified entities to at least one receiving mail server.

2. A method of claim 1 wherein the unique authentication identifier is either a unique serial number or a secret authentication key.

3. A method of claim 1 wherein the unique authentication identifier includes a Private Key generated by a Public Key algorithm;

and

the authentication key includes a corresponding Public Key to each Private Key.

4. A method of claim 1 wherein the unique authentication identifier comprises a Certified Entity Private Key generated by a Public Key algorithm, and a Regulating Authority Public Key Certificate containing the Certified Entity Public Key;

and

the authentication key includes a corresponding Regulating Authority Public Key to access the Certified Entity Public Key.

5. A method of claim 1 wherein the authentication key is provided using the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.

6. A method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting at a receiving mail server, an authentication identifier attached to individual e-mails; and

determining appropriate action for each e-mail based on the authentication identifier attached to the e-mail and authentication key.

7. A method of claim 6 further comprising:

enabling a mail server to query another mail server or computer system zfor the authentication key.

8. A method of claim 6 wherein determining appropriation action is based on the presence of an authentication identifier.

9. A method of claim 6 further comprising:

comparing the authentication identifier to a rule set for the e-mail destination.

10. A method of claim 9 wherein determining appropriation action is based on the comparison of the unique authentication identifier to the rule set for the e-mail destination.

11. A method of claim 9 wherein the appropriate action is either to discard, quarantine, or forward the e-mail.

12. A method of claim 1 wherein the receiving mail server is either a POP mail server or an IMAP mail server.

13. A control system for regulating unsolicited electronic mail (e-mail) between an origin and destination within a network, the system comprising:

at least one list of unique authentication identifiers corresponding to certified entities for attachment to outgoing e-mails from the certified entities;

an authentication key for recognizing authentication identifiers of certified entities in at least one receiving mail server.

14. A system of claim 13 wherein the unique authentication identifier is either a unique serial number or a secret authentication key.

15. A system of claim 13 wherein the unique authentication identifier is a Private Key generated by a Public Key algorithm;

and

the authentication key includes a corresponding Public Key to each Private Key.

16. A system of claim 13 wherein the unique authentication identifier comprises a Commercial Entity Private Key generated by a Public Key algorithm, and a Regulating Authority Public Key Certificate containing the Commercial Entity Public Key;

and

the authentication key includes a corresponding Regulating Authority Public Key to access the Certified Entity Public Key.

17. A system of claim 13 further comprising:

a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol database for providing the authentication key to at least one receiving mail server.

18. A system of claim 13 further comprising:

at least one receiving mail server that may determine appropriate action for each received e-mail based on an authentication identifier attached to the e-mail and the authentication key.

19. A system of claim 18 wherein a receiving mail server may query another mail server or computer system for the authentication key.

20. A system of claim 18 wherein the appropriation action is based on the presence of an authentication identifier.

21. A system of claim 18 further comprising:

a processor at the receiving mailer server for comparing the authentication identifier to a rule set for the e-mail destination.

22. A system of claim 21 wherein the appropriation action is based on the comparison of the unique authentication identifier to the rule set for the e-mail destination.

23. A system of claim 21 wherein the appropriate action is either to discard, quarantine, or forward the e-mail.

24. A system of claim 13 wherein the receiving mail server is either a POP mail server or an IMAP mail server.

25. A computer processor for regulating unsolicited electronic mail (e-mail) comprising:

a first module for assigning a unique authentication identifier to certified entities for attachment to outgoing e-mails from the certified entities;

an second module for providing an authentication key for recognizing authentication identifiers of certified entities to at least one receiving mail server.

26. A processor of claim 25 further comprising:

a third module for receiving certification requests from commercial entities; and

a fourth module for approving commercial entities as certified entities.

27. A processor of claim 25 wherein the unique authentication identifier is either a unique serial number or a secret authentication key.

28. A processor of claim 25 wherein the unique authentication identifier is a Private Key generated by a Public Key algorithm;

and

the authentication key includes a corresponding Public Key to each Private Key.

29. A method of claim 25 wherein the unique authentication identifier comprises a Certified Entity Private Key generated by a Public Key algorithm, and a Regulating Authority Public Key Certificate containing the Certified Entity Public Key;

and

the authentication key includes a corresponding Regulating Authority Public Key to access the Certified Entity Public Key.

30. A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instruction, when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform:

assigning a unique authentication identifier to certified entities for attachment to outgoing e-mails from the certified entities;

providing an authentication key for recognizing authentication identifiers of certified entities to at least one receiving mail servers.

31. A method of regulating unsolicited electronic mail (e-mail), the method comprising:

offering a service for regulating unsolicited electronic mail (e-mail) by;

(i) assigning a unique authentication identifier to certified entities for attachment to outgoing e-mails from the certified entity; and

(ii) providing a list of authentication identifiers of certified entities to customer receiving mail servers for purposes of determining appropriate action for received e-mails based on the attached authentication identifier.