Unsolicited electronic message source verification and tracking system and method

• US 20090089375A1
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Osterberg, Donald H. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

An unsolicited electronic message source verification and tracking method and system for providing an efficient and convenient mechanism for tracking identification of unsolicited electronic message (e.g., e-mails) sources is presented. In one embodiment, a request for authorization to forward an electronic message is received. The request for authorization includes a request source address. A response is sent including an authorization indicator (e.g., a unique bit string) is sent to the request source address. An electronic message is received and a determination is made if the electronic message includes a valid authorization indictor. If the electronic message does include a valid authorization indicator the electronic message is associated with the request source address and the association is tracked. In one exemplary implementation, a source address included in the electronic message is compared to the request source address and discrepancies are noted.

Claims

1. An unsolicited e-mail internet protocol source address verification method comprising:

receiving a request for authorization to forward an electronic mail message;

responding to said request for authorization to forward said electronic mail message, wherein a response to said request for authorization includes an authorization indicator that indicates a source of said request for authorization, wherein the authorization indicator is sent after authorization; and

handling receipt of said electronic mail message, including verifying a source address included in the received said electronic mail message against an address said authorization indicator is sent to.

2. The unsolicited e-mail internet protocol source address verification method of claim 1 wherein said request is initiated by a source of said electronic mail message and said request asks a simple mail transfer protocol agent for authorization to send an electronic mail message to a destination serviced by said simple mail transfer protocol agent.

4. The unsolicited e-mail internet protocol source address verification method of claim 1 wherein said authorization indicator is sent to a source address identified in said request.

5. The unsolicited e-mail internet protocol source address verification method of claim 1 further comprising performing an indication generator process in which an authorization indicator is generated.

6. The unsolicited e-mail internet protocol source address verification method of claim 5 wherein said authorization indicator is a unique bit string.

7. The unsolicited e-mail internet protocol source address verification method of claim 1 further comprising tracking said source address.

8. The unsolicited e-mail internet protocol source address verification method of claim 1 further comprising inserting an entry into said electronic mail message indicating an address an authorization indicator is sent to before forwarding said electronic mail message to an end use destination.

9. The unsolicited e-mail internet protocol source address verification method of claim 1 further comprising:

extracting a request source address from said request; and

utilizing said request source address as a destination address in a header tile of a return package including authorization indictor information.

3. (canceled)

10. (Canceled)

11. A computer system comprising:

a processor for processing information and instructions, including instructions for verifying and tracking a source of an unsolicited electronic message; and

a memory for storing information and instructions, including instructions for verifying and tracking said source of said unsolicited electronic message and verifying an address of said source included in said unsolicited electronic message against an address an authorization indicator is sent to, wherein the authorization indicator is sent after authorization, said memory coupled to said processor.

12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein said instructions direct determination of electronic message authorization.

13. The computer system of claim 11 wherein said instructions include:

formulating a request for permission to forward an electronic message including a permission request source address;

analyzing said request for permission;

sending a permission reply to said permission request source address, forwarding an electronic message, including said permission indicator in a header; and

tracking said permission request source address and a source address of said electronic message when received.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein a message initiator inserts an indication in a header of a communication packet that said initiator is attempting to establish a communication link for a purpose of forwarding a message to a particular destination, said header also includes an indication of an initiator or source address.

15. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said permission reply includes a permission indicator.

16. The computer system of claim 15 wherein a time stamp is maintained when said permission indicator is generated.

17. An unsolicited electronic message source tracking method comprising:

obtaining a verification indication; and

forwarding an unsolicited electronic message with said verification indication to an address said verification indication was sent from.

18. The unsolicited electronic message source tracking method of claim 17 further comprising transmitting a request to send said unsolicited electronic message, wherein said request includes a request sender'"'"'s identification.

19. The unsolicited electronic message source tracking method of claim 18 wherein said request is transmitted to a simple mail transfer protocol agent and said simple mail transfer protocol agent forwards a verification indicator to a request sender'"'"'s source address.

20. The unsolicited electronic message source tracking method of claim 19 said verification indicator is a unique bit string.