Patent ID: 7660861
Filing Date: 2010-02-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A computerized method for validating the identity of a sender of an email comprising: receiving a first email from a first user having an identity into a first sender computer system, the first email including an email header having a first to-email address, a second to-email address, and a from-email address, wherein the from-email address includes a local part, a first domain name and high-level extension; using the first sender computer system, forming a first modified from-email address by affixing a first sender-validation key value to the local part of the from-email address, wherein the first sender-validation key value is to be associated with the first to-email address; using the first sender computer system, packaging the first email and the first modified from-email address into a first data package; using the first sender computer system, sending the first data package to a sender-validation server, the first data package including the first modified email address and the first email; using the sender-validation server, validating the identity of the first user; based on the validating of the identity of the first user, associating the first sender-validation key value and the first to-email address to obtain a first association and storing the first association into a sender-validation database; using the sender-validation server, sending the first email on to a second user at the first to-email address; receiving a second email from the second user; and checking whether the second email includes the first sender-validation key value in the local part of the second email's to-email address field and is sent from the first to-email address, and if so then forwarding the second email to the first user.