Patent ID: 8725889

Claim:
A messaging system for managing the transmission of electronic messages from sending mail servers having a network domain associated therewith, comprising: an intermediate service that comprises a message management system and intercepts the electronic messages from a sending mail server to a destination mail server before the electronic messages are received at any gateway to a network having the destination mail server and any terminals connected thereto for receiving incoming electronic messages from the destination mail server; a data structure that stores source data and destination data for at least some of the electronic messages and metadata derived from at least some of the electronic messages; an interpreter process that analyzes the source data, destination data, and metadata stored in the data structure to detect message traffic patterns; responsive to the detected message traffic patterns violating at least one predetermined rule, said interpreter process updating disposition instructions for subsequent electronic messages; and a computer process that is coupled to the data structure and the interpreter process, the computer process managing the transmission of a subsequent electronic message according to the disposition instructions thereby managing the transmission of the subsequent electronic message.