System and method for a subscription model trusted email database for use in antispam

• US 7,181,764 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Jing, Hu, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami; Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parthasarathy; Pramila
• Application Number:
  US10/975,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 726/4, 726/18, 713/154, 713/156, 709/206
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00

Abstract

The invention is directed to implementing a trust rating subscription model for email addresses and/or domains in a trust-oriented email network that is supported by a deployment of a trusted email database (TED) system. The TED maintains the trust rating for individual email addresses relative to the recipients. Also, the subscription model enables the email end users and inbox service providers to register with the TED to obtain the trust rating of a specific email sender relative to the recipient. This trust rating may then be used by the email end user or an inbox service provider to filter spam, if the sender is untrusted, or deliver the message to an inbox, if the sender is trusted. A sender (individual email address, domain, and the like) can also subscribe and obtain limited rights to email subscribers of the TED system.

Claims

1. A method for managing a subscription over a network, comprising:

receiving a request for a sender subscription to a trusted email database from a client address;

determining whether the client address is initially trustable, and if the client address is initially trustable, subscribing the client address to the trusted email database, and enabling the client address to send a predetermined number of messages within a predetermined time frame;

if it is indeterminate whether the client address is initially trustable, negotiating a fee payment prior to subscribing the client address to the trusted email database and enabling the client to send the predetermined number of messages within the predetermined time frame;

monitoring information associated with the client address as reported by other address;

determining a universal trust rating for the client address based, in part, on the monitored information, wherein the universal trust rating is a property of the client address, and not a property of the destination message address; and

if the Universal trust rating indicates that the client message is untrustable, disabling the client sender subscription from the trusted email database.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, enabling the subscribed client address to share a trust rating with another client address, if both addresses are verified to be belong to a same entity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the client address does not send the predetermined number of messages within the predetermined time frame, negotiating a fee payment to enable renewal of the client address'"'"'s subscription to the trusted email database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the client address is initially trustable further comprises employing information from at least one of a credit rating system, a credit card business, telephone service provider, a financial institution, a whois query, and from the trusted email database.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, enabling the subscribed client address to query the trusted email database to determine a trust rating associated with at least one of a message address sender/client address pair, a message address sender, and the client address.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the trust rating for the message address sender/client address pair further comprises a rating based on at least a combination of a proximity trust relationship and a universal trust rating associated with the message address sender that is independent of the subscribed client address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring information associated with each messages sent by the client address further comprises:

determining a proximity trust relationship between the client address and the destination message address; and

if at least a combination of the proximity trust relationship and the universal trust relationship indicate that the client address is trustable, providing the message to an inbox associated with the destination message address.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the combination further comprises at least one of a sum, and a weighted sum of the proximity trust relationship and the universal trust rating.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the proximity trust relationship further comprises determining a degree of separation between the sending message address and the destination message address.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the degree of separation further comprises employing an address relationship graph.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the universal trust rating further comprises modifying the universal trust rating for the client message address based, in part, on another universal trust rating associated with the destination message address.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the universal trust rating further comprises:

determining another universal trust rating associated with the destination message address;

determining a proximity trust relationship between the destination message address and the client address; and

employing the other universal trust rating and the proximity trust relationship to determine the universal trust rating for the client message address.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the universal trust rating for the client address further comprises, determining the universal trust rating based, in part, on an online activity associated with at least one of sending a message by the client address, forwarding a message from the client address, deleting a message received by the client address, blocking a message by the client address, the client address responding to a message, the client address marking a message as spain, the client address marking a message as not spain, and the client address saving a message address.

14. A method for managing a subscription over a network, comprising:

receiving a request for a recipient subscription to a trusted email database from a client address;

determining whether the client address is initially trustable, and if the client address is initially trustable, subscribing the client address to the trusted email database,

if it is indeterminate whether the client address is initially trustable, negotiating a fee payment prior to subscribing the client address to the trusted email database and enabling the client to send the predetermined number of messages within the predetermined time frame; and

enabling the subscribed client address to query the trusted email database to determine a trust rating associated with at least one of a message address sender/client address pair, a message address sender, and the client address, wherein the trust rating for the message address sender/client address paid further comprises a rating based on at least a combination of a proximity trust relationship, and a universal rating associated with the message address sender, wherein the universal trust rating is a property of the client address, and not a property of the destination message address; and

if a fee is to be charged, charging the fee for enabling the query to the trusted email database.

15. A server for managing messages over a network, comprising:

a database that is configured to store trust information; and

a trust manager, coupled to the database, that is configured to perform actions, including;

receiving a request for a subscription to a trusted email database from a client address;

determining whether the client address is initially trustable, and if the client address is initially trustable, subscribing the client address to the trusted email database and enabling the client address to send a predetermined number of messages within a predetermined time frame;

if it is indeterminate whether the client address is initially trustable, negotiating a fee payment prior to subscribing the client address to the trusted email database and enabling the client to send the predetermined number of messages within the predetermined time frame;

monitoring information associated with the each message sent by the client address to a destination address;

determining a universal trust rating for the client address based, in part, on the monitored information, wherein the universal trust rating is a property of the client address, and not a property of the destination message address; and

enabling the client to send the predetermined number of messages within the predetermined time frame;

monitoring information associated with the each message sent by the client address to a destination address;

determining a universal trust rating for the client address based, in part, on the monitored information, wherein the universal trust rating is a property of the client address, and not a property of the destination addresses; and

if the universal trust rating indicates that the client message is untrustable, disabling the client sender subscription from the trusted email database.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein in determining the universal trust rating further comprises;

if the destination address is associated with a positive universal trust rating and has a positive proximity trust relationship with the client address, increasing the determined universal trust rating for the client address by a factor based on a first predetermined value times the proximity trust relationship;

if the destination address is in a good cluster of addresses and has a negative proximity trust relationship with the client address, decreasing the determined universal trust rating for the client address by a factor based on a second predetermined value time the proximity trust relationship; and

if the destination address has a positive proximity trust relationship with the client address and the client address is in a bad cluster of addresses, decreasing the universal trust rating of the destination address by a factor based on a third predetermined value times a relationship strength between the client address and the destination address.

17. The server of claim 15, further comprising, enabling the subscribed client address to transfer the universal trust rating to another client address.

18. The server of claim 15, further comprising, if the client address does not send the predetermined number of messages within the predetermined time frame, negotiating a fee payment to enable renewal of the client address'"'"'s subscription to the trusted email database.

19. The server of claim 15, further comprising, enabling the subscribed client address to query the trusted email database to determine a trust rating associated with at least one of a message address sender/client address pair, a message address sender, and the client address.

20. The server of claim 15, wherein determining the universal trust rating further comprises modifying the universal trust rating for the client message address based, in part, on another universal trust rating associated with the destination message address.

21. A server for managing messages over a network comprising:

a database that is configured to store trust information; and

a trust manager, coupled to the database, that is configured to perform actions, including;

receiving a request for a recipient subscription to a trusted email database from a client address;

determining whether the client address is initially trustable, and if the client address is initially trustable, subscribing the client address to the trusted email database and enabling the subscribed client address to query the trusted email database to determine a universal trust rating associated with at least one of a message address sender/client address pair, a message address sender, and the client address, wherein the universal trust rating is a property of the client address, and not a property of the destination message address; and

if it is indeterminate whether the client address is initially trustable, negotiating a fee payment prior to subscribing the client address to the trusted email database and enabling the client to query the trusted email database to determine a trust rating for a predetermined number of messages within a predetermined time frame.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for managing messages over a network, the computer-executable instructions being operative to perform actions, comprising:

enabling a receiving of a request for a recipient subscription to a trusted email database from a client address;

enabling a determination of whether the client address is initially trustable, and if the client address is initially trustable, enabling the client to send the predetermined number of messages within the predetermined time frame;

enabling the client address to query the trusted email database to determine a universal trust rating associated with at least one of a message address sender/client address pair, a message address sender, and the client address, wherein the universal trust rating is a property of the client address, and not a property of the destination message address; and

determining whether to charge a fee to enable the query of the trusted email database, wherein the determination to charge the fee is based, at least in part, on a trust rating associated with the client address,

if it is indeterminate whether the client address is initially trustable, negotiating a fee payment prior to subscribing the client address to the trusted email database and enabling the client to send the predetermined number of messages within the predetermined time frame.

23. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for managing messages over a network, the computer-executable instructions being operative to perform actions, comprising:

enabling a receiving of a request for a subscription to a trusted email database from a client address;

enabling a determination of whether the client address is initially trustable, and if the client address is initially trustable, enabling the client address to send a predetermined number of messages within a predetermined time frame;

enabling a monitoring of information associated with the each message sent by the client address to a destination address;

enabling a determining of a universal trust rating for the client address based, in part, on the monitored information, wherein the universal trust rating is a property of the client address, and not a property of the destination message address; and

if the universal trust rating indicates that the client message is untrustable, enabling a disabling of the client sender subscription from the trusted email database;

if it is indeterminate whether the client address is initially trustable, negotiating a fee payment prior to subscribing the client address to the trusted email database and enabling the client to send the predetermined number of messages within the predetermined time frame.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein determining whether the client address is initially trustable further comprises employing information from at least one of a credit rating system, a credit card business, telephone service provider, a financial institution, a whois query, and from the trusted email database.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein determining the universal trust rating further comprises modifying the universal trust rating for the client message address based, in part, on another universal trust rating associated with the destination message address.

26. An apparatus for managing messages on a network, comprising:

a means for receiving a request for a subscription to a trusted email database from a client address;

a means for determining whether the client address is initially trustable, and if the client address is determined to be initially trustable, a means for enabling the client address to send a predetermined number of messages within a predetermined time frame;

a means for monitoring information associated with the each message sent by the client address to a destination address;

a means for determining a universal trust rating for the client address based, in part, on the monitored information, wherein the universal trust rating is a property of the client address, and not a property of the destination message address; and

if the universal trust rating indicates that the client message is untrustable, a means for disabling the client message from the trusted email database,

if it is indeterminate whether the client address is initially trustable, negotiating a fee payment prior to subscribing the client address to the trusted email database and enabling the client to send the predetermined number of messages within the predetermined time frame.