Patent ID: 8516259

Claim:
A method for performing voice mail messaging authentication, comprising: establishing a connection between a caller and a voice mail messaging apparatus that provides messaging services for a voice mail account holder; receiving, at the voice mail messaging apparatus, a request from the caller to leave a voice mail message for the voice mail account holder; receiving a caller authentication certificate of the caller; authenticating, by the voice mail messaging apparatus, the caller in response to receiving the caller authentication certificate, wherein said authenticating includes verifying validity of the caller authentication certificate and verifying that the caller is in possession of a private key corresponding to a public key of said caller authentication certificate; and creating, by the voice mail messaging apparatus, a voice mail message record in a voice mail account of the voice mail account holder in response to successfully performing said authentication, wherein said creating includes allowing the caller to store the voice mail message in the voice mail account of the voice mail account holder and associating authenticated identification information of the caller with the voice mail message.