Email Security Scoring Using TLS, DKIM, SPF, and DMARC
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing email security systems are inadequate in identifying and mitigating risks such as phishing attacks, spoofing, and other security vulnerabilities, often requiring a layered approach that is not easily managed or optimized.
Innovation Solution
A computerized system that analyzes email transmission components like TLS, DKIM, SPF, DMARC, IP reputation, and reverse DNS lookup to provide a security score and suggest mitigations, ensuring comprehensive email security through automated testing and reporting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple security protocols (TLS, DKIM, SPF, DMARC) are implemented to improve email security, then security reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the email security system into distinct analytical modules, each evaluating specific security protocols (TLS encryption, DKIM signatures, SPF records, DMARC policies) separately. This modular approach allows comprehensive security assessment while maintaining manageable complexity through organized, protocol-specific analysis components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal security analysis system that evaluates multiple different security protocols (TLS, DKIM, SPF, DMARC) through a single integrated platform. This multi-functional system provides comprehensive security assessment across various protocols without requiring separate analysis tools for each protocol type.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive security analysis of multiple protocols is performed, then measurement precision of security risks is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the security analysis into distinct evaluation modules for each protocol (TLS analysis module, DKIM analysis module, SPF analysis module, DMARC analysis module). Each module precisely measures its specific security aspect while the overall system maintains organized complexity through this segmented structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism that aggregates results from individual protocol analyses into a comprehensive security score. This feedback loop provides precise security risk measurement by synthesizing data from multiple protocol evaluations, enabling accurate overall security assessment while managing complexity through structured information integration.
3Productivity
If automated security testing and analysis is implemented, then productivity of security assessment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary automated actions by proactively sending test emails through various security protocols and automatically analyzing the results. This preliminary automated testing establishes baseline security measurements before actual security incidents occur, improving assessment productivity while the systematic nature of the automation keeps complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service automation where the security analysis system automatically executes tests, collects data, analyzes results, and generates security scores without requiring manual intervention. This self-service capability significantly improves security assessment productivity, and the automated workflows manage complexity by eliminating the need for manual analysis processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A computerized system for analysis of electronic communication systems comprising: a set of testing computer readable instructions adapted for: receiving an email address representing a target message system to be tested, generating a test email wherein the test message requests a reply message, receiving a reply from the target message system, analyzing the test message and the reply message according to a security test taken from the group consisting of: a TLS encryption analysis, a MX record exposure, a DKIM presence, a SPF presence, a DMARC presence, a reputational information, a reverse DNS lookup consistency and any combination thereof to provide score deduction factors, generating an aggregate deduction value according to the set of security score deduction factors, generating a security score, displaying the security score, and, displaying recommendations for target message system modifications according to the security score deduction factor.