Email Client Security Policy Enforcement During Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital document transmission systems are prone to security vulnerabilities due to the unordered execution of external code modules during security checks, leading to potential errors and compliance issues when transmitting documents across different network loci.
Innovation Solution
A system where a local server manages security policies as logical rules, which are checked and enforced by the email client as the email is being composed, ensuring compliance with security policies by modifying the user interface and executing remedial actions if necessary, such as converting or removing attachments, and logging violations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external code modules are used to perform security checks during document transmission, then security policy checking capability is improved, but execution order uncertainty causes security vulnerabilities and errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the security check functionality from external code modules and integrates it directly into the email client's core execution flow. The security checking code is embedded within the email client itself rather than relying on external modules, ensuring deterministic execution order and eliminating the security vulnerabilities associated with unordered external module execution.
2Reliability
If security checks are performed by external code modules, then security policy enforcement is improved, but execution errors and security vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the security check functionality with the email client's native code structure. By combining security enforcement with the core email composition and sending logic, the system ensures that security checks are performed in a controlled, predictable manner without the harmful effects of external module execution errors.
3Reliability
If security policies are checked prior to transmission, then compliance with security policies is improved, but transmission process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary security checks during the email composition phase, before the transmission process begins. By performing security policy validation upfront during composition rather than during transmission, the system ensures compliance while keeping the transmission process itself simple and straightforward.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for securing documents attached to emails is disclosed. The system and method apply security rules to an email as it is being composed to ensure that the security policies have been expressed prior to the email being sent. The security program hooks in to the message object model so that as the message is modified, the security rules are applied to each modification.