Patent ID: 6636838
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for performing content screening on a message that is protected by end-to-end encryption, comprising:receiving an encrypted message and an encrypted message key at a content screener from a source, the encrypted message having been formed by encrypting the message with a message key, the encrypted message key having been formed by encrypting the message key; forwarding the encrypted message key from the content screener to a destination; decrypting the encrypted message key at the destination; returning the message key to the content screener in a secure manner; decrypting the message at the content screener; allowing the content screener to screen a decrypted message content to determine whether the decrypted message content satisfies a screening criterion; wherein the content screener screens the decrypted message content by doing one of: scanning the decrypted message content for a virus, scanning the decrypted message content in order to detect a policy violation within the decrypted message content, and scanning the decrypted message content to detect keywords of interest in the decrypted message content; and if the decrypted message content satisfies the screening criterion, forwarding the encrypted message from the content screener to the destination enabling the destination to process the message.