Email Authentication via Puzzle Verification and Policy Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic mail classification techniques are ineffective in distinguishing legitimate from unwanted messages due to spoofing of domain names and network addresses, leading to incorrect classification and increased burden of unwanted emails.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that alters connection establishment data to validate network addresses, uses authorized outgoing server lists, and verifies computational puzzles to ensure the authenticity of electronic messages, thereby reducing the likelihood of forged addresses and domain spoofing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional electronic mail classification techniques are used, then message classification can be performed, but the classification accuracy deteriorates due to spoofing of domain names and network addresses
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation of network addresses and domain names during the connection establishment phase, before the actual email transmission occurs. By altering connection establishment data to include validation checks, the system proactively identifies and blocks spoofed addresses before they can be used to send unwanted messages, thereby improving both classification accuracy and message authenticity
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary validation layer between the sending and receiving email systems. This intermediary mechanism verifies the authenticity of network addresses and domain names through modified connection establishment protocols, preventing spoofed messages from reaching the classification stage and thus improving overall system reliability and accuracy
2Reliability
If connection establishment data is altered to validate network addresses, then message authenticity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes email servers multi-functional by enabling them to perform both traditional email transmission and network address validation through altered connection establishment data. This universal approach allows existing email infrastructure to gain authentication capabilities without requiring separate dedicated validation systems, thereby improving message authenticity while limiting the increase in overall system complexity
3Reliability
If authorized outgoing server lists are implemented, then classification reliability is improved, but information processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes authorized outgoing server lists and validates sending servers against these lists during the connection establishment phase, before email messages are processed. This preliminary validation ensures that only authenticated servers can send messages, improving classification reliability while minimizing the time penalty to only the initial connection phase rather than affecting entire message processing
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides for generating inputs that can be provided to a message classification module to facilitate more reliable classification of electronic messages, such as, for example, as unwanted and/or unsolicited. In one embodiment, a sending messaging server provides an appropriate response to address verification data thereby indicating a reduced likelihood of the sending messaging server using a forged network address. In another embodiment, it is determined if a messaging server is authorized to send electronic messages for a domain. In yet another embodiment, electronic message transmission policies adhered to by a domain are identified. In yet a further embodiment, a sending computer system expends computational resources to solve a computational puzzle and includes an answer document in an electronic message. A receiving computer system receives the electronic message and verifies the answer document.