Patent ID: 8412778
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for determining the status of an electronic mail message, sent by an e-mail originator to an e-mail recipient, as SPAM or as a valid message, in a network including an e-mail originator computer, an e-mail recipient computer, an authentication server and an authentication database, comprising the steps of: maintaining in the authentication database, authentication information comprising a unique identification code and an authorization id number associated with the e-mail originator; creating, at the e-mail originator computer, the electronic mail message; sending, from the e-mail originator computer to the authentication server, a first authentication request without sending the electronic mail message, said first authentication request comprising information related to the e-mail originator; accessing, at the authentication server, the authentication database to check for an authorization id number associated with the e-mail originator using the information related to the email originator from the first authentication request and sending the authorization id number to the authentication server; sending, from the authentication server, if the check identifies the e-mail originator as valid, an indication that the e-mail originator is valid, to the e-mail originator computer; and sending, from the e-mail originator computer, in response to receiving the indication that the e-mail originator is valid, the electronic mail message to the e-mail recipient computer.