System and method for handling electronic mail mismatches

• US 20070299921A1
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael S., Brown, Michael K., Segato, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,161 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 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

A system and method for handling e-mail address mismatches between the address contained within a user'"'"'s certificate or certificate chain, and the account address actually being used is disclosed. In order to resolve address mismatches a canonical or generic domain name or user name may, for example, be used as a lifelong address of a user that is contained in the user'"'"'s certificate. Upon detection of an address mismatch, the system and method disclosed herein may automatically re-check the certificate or search for a certificate containing the canonical or generic domain name and/or user name to attempt to resolve the mismatch. This mismatch resolution is preferably transparent to the user and occurs automatically. The canonical or generic domain and/or user names that are available to the device may be typically controlled by IT policy that is in place on the system for the device. While this system is suitable for any type of electronic messaging system, it has particular applicability to systems that use mobile wireless communication devices with electronic messaging capability.

Claims

1. A method for locating a certificate in an electronic messaging system, comprising:

executing an electronic messaging application on a device of a user;

entering an address of a recipient of the message to be sent by the user;

searching for a certificate of the recipient based on the address of the recipient entered by the user;

if no certificate of the recipient is found based on the recipient address entered by the user, then conducting a search for the certificate of the recipient based on a generic name associated with the recipient address; and

providing an indication to the user whether a certificate of the recipient has been found.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generic name comprises a generic domain name.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generic name comprises a generic user name.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generic name comprises both a generic domain name and a generic user name.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of conducting a search based on a generic name further comprises:

first searching for the certificate of the recipient based on a generic domain name associated with the recipient'"'"'s address, and if no matching certificate is found then searching for the certificate of the recipient based on a generic user name associated with the recipient'"'"'s address.

6. The method according to 4, wherein the step of conducting a search based on a generic name further comprises:

searching for the certificate of the recipient based on a generic domain name and generic user name concurrently.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device of a user comprises a mobile wireless communication device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said searching steps are conducted on said device.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said searching steps are conducted on a server of said electronic messaging system.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein said generic name comprises at least one of multiple domain names and multiple user names.

11. A method for locating a certificate in an electronic messaging system, comprising:

using a generic name associated with an address of a recipient of an electronic message to locate a certificate of the recipient.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said generic name comprises a generic domain name.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said generic name comprises a generic user name.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said generic name comprises a generic domain name and a generic user name.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein said generic name comprises at least one of multiple generic domain names and multiple generic user names.

16. A method for locating a certificate in an electronic messaging system, comprising:

receiving an electronic message from a sender;

searching for a certificate of the sender based on the address of the sender contained in the electronic message;

if no certificate of the sender is found based on the sender address contained in the message, then conducting another search for the certificate of the sender based on a generic name associated with the sender'"'"'s address; and

providing an indication to the user whether a certificate of the sender has been found.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the generic name comprises a generic domain name.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the generic name comprises a generic user name.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the generic name comprises both a generic domain name and a generic user name.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of conducting another search further comprises:

first searching for the certificate of the sender based on a generic domain name associated with the sender'"'"'s address, and if no matching certificate is found then searching for the certificate of the sender based on a generic user name associated with the sender'"'"'s address.

21. The method according to 19, wherein the step of conducting another search further comprises:

searching for the certificate of the sender based on a generic domain name and generic user name concurrently.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein said searching steps are conducted on a device of the user.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein said searching steps are conducted on a server of the messaging system.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein said generic name comprises at least one of multiple generic domain names and multiple generic user names.

25. A method for locating a certificate in an electronic messaging system, comprising:

using a generic name associated with an address of a sender of an electronic message to locate a certificate of the sender.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein said generic name comprises a generic domain name.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein said generic name comprises a generic user name.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein said generic name comprises a generic domain name and a generic user name.

29. A method for locating a certificate in an electronic messaging system, comprising:

executing an electronic messaging application on a device of a user;

entering an address of a recipient of the message to be sent by the user;

searching for a certificate of the recipient based on the address of the recipient entered by the user and a generic name associated with the recipient address; and

providing an indication to the user whether a certificate of the recipient has been found.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the generic name comprises a generic domain name.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the generic name comprises a generic user name.

32. The method according to claim 29, wherein the generic name comprises both a generic domain name and a generic user name.

33. A method for locating a certificate in an electronic messaging system, comprising:

receiving an electronic from a sender;

searching for a certificate of the sender based on the address of the sender contained in the electronic message and a generic name associated with the sender of the message; and

providing an indication to the user whether a certificate of the sender has been found.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the generic name comprises a generic domain name.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein the generic name comprises a generic user name.

36. The method according to claim 33, wherein the generic name comprises both a generic domain name and a generic user name.

37. A system for locating a certificate in an electronic messaging system, comprising:

a plurality of devices capable of sending and receiving electronic messages;

a server for processing at least some electronic messages;

program logic operable to locate a certificate of a sender or recipient of an electronic message based on a generic name associated with the sender or recipient, wherein said program logic operates to search for a certificate based on an address of the sender or recipient of the message, and if no certificate is found, then searching for a certificate of the sender or recipient using a generic name associated with the address of the sender or recipient of the message, and provides an indication to a user whether a certificate of the sender or recipient has been found.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein said program logic is resident on said device capable of sending and receiving electronic messages.

39. The system according to claim 37, wherein said program logic is resident on said server.

40. The system according to claim 38, wherein said device comprises a mobile wireless communication device.

41. The system according to claim 37, wherein the generic name comprises a generic domain name.

42. The system according to claim 37, wherein the generic name comprises a generic user name.

43. The system according to claim 37, wherein the generic name comprises both a generic domain name and a generic user name.

44. The system according to claim 37, wherein said program logic is embodied in a computer readable medium capable of being read by said device or said server.

45. The system according to claim 37, wherein said program logic is modulated on a carrier wave capable of carrying said program logic and said device or said server is capable or transmitting or receiving said carrier wave modulated to carry said program logic.

46. A system for locating a certificate in an electronic messaging system, comprising:

a plurality of devices capable of sending and receiving electronic messages;

a server for processing at least some electronic messages;

program logic operable to locate a certificate of a sender or recipient of an electronic message based on a generic name associated with the sender or recipient, wherein said program logic operates to search for a certificate based on an address of the sender or recipient of the message and a generic name associated with the address of the sender or recipient of the message, and provides an indication to a user whether a certificate of the sender or recipient has been found.

47. The system according to claim 46, wherein said program logic is resident on said device capable of sending and receiving electronic messages.

48. The system according to claim 46, wherein said program logic is resident on said server.

49. The system according to claim 47, wherein said device comprises a mobile wireless communication device.

50. The system according to claim 46, wherein the generic name comprises a generic domain name.

51. The system according to claim 46, wherein the generic name comprises a generic user name.

52. The system according to claim 46, wherein the generic name comprises both a generic domain name and a generic user name.

53. The system according to claim 46, wherein said program logic is embodied in a computer readable medium capable of being read by said device or said server.

54. The system according to claim 46, wherein said program logic is modulated on a carrier wave capable of carrying said program logic and said device or said server is capable or transmitting or receiving said carrier wave modulated to carry said program logic.