Patent ID: 8671447
Filing Date: 2014-03-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of filtering email, the method comprising: receiving an email at a unified threat management gateway from a mail transfer agent across a first internet-based communication connection; checking a reputation of an internet protocol address of the mail transfer agent; sending the email from the unified threat management gateway to an email security appliance across a second internet-based communication connection; processing the email at the email security appliance to determine a filtered status, wherein the filtered status indicates that the email is at least one of: a spam email, a non-spam email, a phishing email, a non-phishing email, an email that contains a virus, an email that does not contain a virus; receiving the email with the filtered status at the unified threat management gateway from the security appliance across a third internet-based communication connection; sending the email with the filtered status from the unified threat management gateway to a junk store across a local communication connection; and sending email filter processing rules from the unified threat management gateway to the email security appliance, wherein the unified threat management gateway sends email filter processing rules using a custom simple mail transfer protocol HELO command using a transmission control protocol port, wherein the HELO command comprises ASCII encoded text using name-value pairs to convey information.