Patent ID: 7797443
Filing Date: 2010-09-14
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A hardware-implemented computer system for processing e-mail comprising: a memory; a plurality of servers that receive e-mail messages from a plurality of remotely located clients, the plurality of servers being part of a distributed network; a plurality of packet sniffers, wherein each of the packet sniffers in the plurality of packet sniffers corresponds to and resides in a different server in the plurality of servers, wherein each packet sniffer in the plurality of packet sniffers is configured to; a) check a fragment offset field of an IP header to ensure the IP header is the first fragment of a packet, b) determine the value of a SYN bit in a TCP header, c) disregarding the packet if the SYN bit has not been set, and if the frame does not include an IP address, and if the IP address does not correspond to the server on which the packet sniffer is running, and if the IP address does not correspond to the configured port number and d) extract from the received packet originating IP addresses associated with e-mail messages that are communicated to the clients over the distributed network; a central monitor that communicates over the distributed network with the plurality of packet sniffers and that monitors data regarding the originating IP addresses, wherein the central monitor is configured to determine whether traffic from an originating IP address has exceeded a threshold value, the central monitor being further configured to generate a response to detect spam e-mail messages if the threshold value has been exceeded; and a server in which the central monitor resides, wherein the server is distinct from each of the plurality of servers containing the plurality of packet sniffers in the plurality of packet sniffers in the distributed network.