Message Challenge Response

• US 20080104188A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MailFrontier Incorporated (SonicWall Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Uyeda, Damon, Wilson, Brian, Nufire, Tim, Oliver, Jonathan, Koblas, David, Eikenberry, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for registering a email sender for the purpose of sending an email message to an email receiver including receiving a challenge message wherein the challenge message includes a machine answerable question; processing the challenge message to determine that it is a challenge message sent for the purpose of authorizing delivery of the email message; analyzing the question to determine a valid response to the challenge message; and sending the valid response that includes the answer wherein a nontrivial amount of resources are required to send the valid response.

Claims

1. A method of registering a email sender for the purpose of sending an email message to an email receiver comprising:

receiving a challenge message wherein the challenge message includes a machine answerable question;

processing the challenge message to determine that it is a challenge message sent for the purpose of authorizing delivery of the email message;

analyzing the question to determine a valid response to the challenge message; and

sending the valid response that includes the answer wherein a nontrivial amount of resources are required to send the valid response.

2-38. -38. (canceled)