URI Authentication System for Email Security

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current security measures are inadequate in protecting against cyberattacks that exploit unauthenticated universal resource identifiers (URIs) in electronic messages, particularly in large interconnected organizations where relying on user discipline is impractical.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for screening URIs in electronic messages through external validation, utilizing a database of previously validated URIs to authenticate incoming or outgoing messages, and implementing measures such as blocking, annotating, or redirecting unauthenticated URIs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If user discipline is relied upon to eliminate selection of unauthenticated links, then security against cyberattacks is improved, but this approach is impractical for large interconnected organizations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity against cyberattacksVSAvoidpracticality of security measure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

An intermediary authentication system is introduced between the user and the URI. The system automatically authenticates URIs before allowing access, eliminating the need for users to manually verify links. This intermediary layer handles the security verification process, making security measures practical for large organizations where user discipline alone is insufficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Authentication of URIs is performed in advance before users can access them. The system pre-validates links and either blocks or flags unauthenticated URIs before they can be selected by users. This preliminary authentication action prevents cyberattacks by ensuring only verified safe links are accessible, without requiring ongoing user vigilance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If all URIs in electronic messages are authenticated, then security risk is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity of electronic communicationsVSAvoidcomplexity of authentication system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication function is extracted from the main messaging system and implemented as a separate, specialized component. This extracted authentication module can be deployed independently and integrated into existing messaging infrastructure, reducing the complexity burden on the overall system while still providing comprehensive URI authentication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A centralized authentication database or service is created that can be copied and distributed across the network. Multiple instances of the authentication service can handle verification requests, distributing the computational load and reducing the complexity burden on any single system component while maintaining security across the entire organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Object-affected harmful factors

If unauthenticated URIs are blocked or removed, then protection against malware is improved, but loss of potentially legitimate information occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against malwareVSAvoidloss of legitimate URI content

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Different quality treatments are applied to different URIs based on their authentication status. Authenticated URIs are allowed to function normally, while unauthenticated URIs receive special treatment such as flagging or isolation. This local differentiation allows the system to protect against malware by blocking unauthenticated links while preserving access to legitimate authenticated content without unnecessary loss of information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of blocking all URIs and allowing only authenticated ones (which would require proving safety), the system inverts the approach by flagging unauthenticated URIs for review. This inversion reduces information loss by allowing potentially legitimate unauthenticated links to be manually reviewed rather than automatically blocked, while still providing protection against obvious malware through the flagging mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS20250080982A1Method for filtering unauthenticated URI's in electronic messages

Publication Date: 2025.03.06 METACERT INC

AI summary

In certain embodiments, an incoming electronic message is screened by a local system to detect any URI's included in the message, such as a hyperlink or the text of a URI. The local system extracts the URI from the content of the message, and attempts to authenticate the URI. If the extracted URI cannot be authenticated, the URI content of the message may be replaced with a redirect to a safe webpage.