Patent ID: 8458261
Filing Date: 2013-06-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of automatically determining valid email addresses in a computer network, the method comprising: extracting an email address of a recipient from an inbound email, the inbound email entering a private computer network; entering the email address in a listing of address information; after entering the email address in the listing of address information, identifying the email address in a first outbound email leaving the private computer network, the first outbound email being a notification email indicative of receipt in the private computer network of a particular email that is undeliverable; in response to identifying the email address in the first outbound email, updating the listing of address information to indicate that the email address is an invalid email address having no corresponding email account in the private computer network; after updating the listing of address information to indicate that the email address is an invalid email address, identifying the email address in a second outbound email leaving the private computer network; and in response to identifying the email address in the second outbound email, updating the listing of address information to indicate that the email address is a valid email address.