Patent ID: 7477889

Claim:
A message authentication apparatus in a mobile communication system comprising: a server for receiving a message from an end user of an originator terminal for transmission to an end user of a recipient terminal, said server detecting information associated with the message, the information including a recipient identification, an originator phone number and an originator security code, said server formulating authentication state information concerning the originator terminal on the basis of the detected originator phone number and originator security code; and a mobile switching center (MSC) for transmitting the received message and authentication state information to the recipient terminal, wherein the authentication state information is one of information indicating that a proper security code has been received from the originator terminal, information indicating that an improper code has been received from the originator terminal, and information indicating that a security code has not been received from the originator terminal, and wherein the recipient terminal displays the authentication state information to the end user of the recipient terminal without automatically disabling a communication from the originator terminal such that the end user of the recipient terminal can readily determine if the originator terminal has a proper security code and thereby determine reliability of information about the originator terminal.