Patent ID: 7127741
Filing Date: 2006-10-24
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for signing an e-mail message, comprising: receiving a plurality of e-mail messages by a security manager of an e-mail firewall, at least a first message and a second message are from different users associated with different user systems; the security manager determining if a signature is required for at least two of the received e-mail messages by applying a signature policy which refers to policy rules to determine whether a signature is required by reference to attributes of an e-mail message; retrieving a signing certificate for the at least two messages in response to said applying a signature policy by reference to a signature policy which refers to policy rules to identify the kind of signing certificate to retrieve by reference to attributes of an e-mail message; applying the retrieved signing certificate to each message; and forwarding each message for further processing by the e-mail firewall.