Patent ID: 8949943
Filing Date: 2015-02-03
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: establishing, using at least one processor, a group that includes a plurality of group members, wherein membership in the group establishes a first trust level among the plurality of group members that enables each of the plurality of group members to send and/or receive group messages without a trust challenge; establishing a second trust level between one or more subscribers that are not one of the plurality of group members and the group; receiving a message from a sender that is intended for the group; determining a trust level between the sender and the group based on whether the sender is a group member or a subscriber; in response to the sender being a group member and the trust level between the sender and the group is the first trust level, sending the message to the group members; in response to the sender being a subscriber and the trust level between the sender and the group is the second trust level, determining if a trust relationship exists between the sender and each member of the group, if no trust relationship exists between a particular member of the group and the sender, delivering the message to the particular member of the group only if the sender passes a trust challenge; and if a trust relationship exists between the particular member of the group and the sender, delivering the message to the particular member of the group without the trust challenge; and in response to the sender being neither a group member nor a subscriber and there is no trust level between the sender and the group, blocking the message from being delivered to the group.