Resolving Email Certificate Mismatches via Canonical Address Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The issue of mismatches between lifelong e-mail addresses contained in user certificates and temporary e-mail addresses used by users as they move within an organization leads to errors in secure electronic messaging systems, particularly in systems using digital signatures like S/MIME.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses canonical or generic domain names and user names to automatically search for and resolve mismatches by retrying certificate searches, either at the device level or server-based, to ensure seamless communication and verification processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a user's certificate contains a lifelong e-mail address while the user uses temporary location-based e-mail addresses, then the user can maintain a consistent identity across different locations, but address mismatches occur during message verification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mapping mechanism that connects the lifelong e-mail address in the certificate with temporary location-based e-mail addresses. When a message is sent or received, the system uses this mapping to resolve the discrepancy between the certificate address and the actual used address, allowing verification to proceed successfully without requiring the addresses to match directly
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing the mapping relationship between lifelong and temporary e-mail addresses before the mismatch problem occurs. This mapping is set up in advance so that when verification is needed, the system can automatically resolve the address discrepancy without interrupting the user
2Ease of operation
If the system requires exact matching between certificate e-mail addresses and account e-mail addresses, then security verification is simplified, but communication is interrupted when users move to different locations
Solution Approach 1:
The mapping mechanism acts as an intermediary layer that maintains the simplicity of the verification process while enabling communication continuity. Instead of complicating the verification logic, the system uses the pre-established mapping to automatically resolve address mismatches, keeping the user experience simple and uninterrupted
3Extent of automation
If the system performs automated certificate searches using both actual and canonical addresses, then address mismatches are resolved transparently, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-establishing the mapping between actual and canonical e-mail addresses. This allows the automated search process to work with pre-computed mappings rather than implementing complex real-time resolution logic, reducing the operational complexity while maintaining high automation
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for handling e-mail address mismatches between the address contained within a user's certificate or certificate chain, and the account address actually being used is disclosed. In order to resolve address mismatches a canonical or generic domain name or user name may, for example, be used as a lifelong address of a user that is contained in the user's certificate. Upon detection of an address mismatch, the system and method disclosed herein may automatically re-check the certificate or search for a certificate containing the canonical or generic domain name and/or user name to attempt to resolve the mismatch.