Secure Group Address for Email Sender Privacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current email systems do not provide a secure method to protect the sender's email address information when emails are forwarded, as the sender's address is exposed and can be disclosed to recipients.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that establish a secure group comprising the sender and recipients, generating a secure-group address that replaces the sender's email address, ensuring the sender's information remains secure by using a unique and irreversible address generated through algorithms like short URL mapping, and managing correspondence through mapping tables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sender's email address is directly used in the email transmission, then the email can be sent to recipients, but the sender's email address information is exposed and can be disclosed when recipients forward the email
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a secure group address as an intermediary to replace the sender's real email address in forwarded emails. When a sender belongs to a secure group, their email address is substituted with the group's secure address in the email header, preventing exposure of the actual sender address while maintaining email transmission functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the sender's identity through the secure group address. This copy serves the same communication function as the real email address but does not reveal the actual sender information, allowing email transmission while protecting privacy
2Reliability
If a secure group address is used to replace the sender's email address, then the sender's email address information is secured, but the system complexity increases due to group management and address mapping
Solution Approach 1:
The secure group address serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the sender's email address for outgoing emails, serves as the recipient address for replies within the group, and functions as a privacy protection mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems for each purpose
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically manages the mapping between real email addresses and secure group addresses through email server configurations. The address substitution and group management operations are performed automatically without requiring manual intervention from users, reducing operational complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method for securing an email address includes: establishing a secure group constituted by associates in response to an establishment request from a sender, wherein the associates comprise the sender and a recipient; obtaining a secure-group address in response to a sending operation of an email; and replacing an email address of the sender of the email with the secure-group address and transmitting the email to an email address of the recipient of the email. A device for securing an email address is also provided.