DE102009000302A1 - Authenticated electronic mail generating method for use in personal digital assistant, involves transmitting code from server to transmitter terminal, where mail provided with code is transmitted to receiver terminal by network - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves generating transmitter-electronic mail-address information to transmit information over an electronic mail. Receiver-electronic mail-address information is provided corresponding to a code under an application of a predetermined algorithm while authenticating a server. The code is transmitted from the authenticated server to a transmitter terminal by a data exchanging network. The electronic mail provided with the code is transmitted to a receiver terminal by a data exchanging network.

Description

The The invention relates to a method for generating an authenticatable E-mail.

To The prior art has the problem that participants in e-mail traffic a large number of unwanted emails from unknown senders receive. Such unwanted emails are also referred to as "spam". The proportion of spam often exceeds today by a multiple the proportion of wanted emails. It lies u. a. Remember that unwanted emails on electronic Way without further mass shipped under a wrong transmitter can be.

To reduce spam, a variety of methods are known in the art. For example, this describes US 7,290,035 B2 a method for verifying an e-mail sender. The sender initially registers with a separate e-mail sender verification server. When sending an e-mail, the e-mail sender verification server creates a marker and attaches the e-mail to be sent. The recipient of such an e-mail can access the e-mail sender verification server and check the sender's authenticity. The known method counteracts because of the verifiability of the sender of a mass transmission of spam under a wrong sender. Nevertheless, the known method has some disadvantages. It can only be checked by the receiver, the authenticity of the sender. However, it is not possible to check whether the e-mail transmitted by the sender has been authentically or possibly modified. Furthermore, it is for the receiver with knowledge of the mark of the transmitter u. For example, it may be possible to steal non-recipient email from the sender by accessing the email sender verification server.

task The invention is to the disadvantages of the prior art remove. It should in particular continue to be a safety-related improved method for generating an authentifiable e-mail be specified. According to another object of the invention is a Procedures for reducing spam are provided.

These The object is solved by the features of claim 1. Expedient embodiments of the invention result from the features of claims 2 to 20.

According to the invention, a method for generating an authenticatable e-mail is provided with the following steps:
Transmitting e-mail information including e-mail address information and e-mail address information including e-mail address information from a sender terminal to an authentication server via a data exchange network;
Generating a key corresponding to the transmitted sender e-mail address information, the e-mail information and the recipient e-mail address information using a predetermined algorithm at the authentication server;
Transmitting the key from the authentication server via the data exchange network to the sender terminal;
Providing the e-mail with the key; and
Submit the keyed e-mail to the recipient terminal via the data exchange network. definitions: Terminal: E-mail sending terminal, in particular server, computer, PDA, mobile phone and the like. Address Information: Actual e-mail address or corresponding key, eg. Hash value, one-way hash value or the like. Data exchange network: Network for data exchange in which the authentication server, the transmitter terminal and the receiver terminal are integrated for data exchange. The data exchange may, for example, be the Internet.

By in particular according to the present invention, information about the e-mail and at least one recipient e-mail address information are transmitted to the authentication server, the method for generating an authenticatable e-mail can be improved in terms of security. The information about the e-mail as well as the at least one recipient e-mail address information are taken into account when the key is generated at the authentication server. As a result, not only the authenticity of the e-mail sender but also the e-mail sent with it can be determined by the recipient. Furthermore, according to the invention, when the key is generated, the recipient email address information is also taken into account, it can be ensured that the email recipient only provides for him / her can verify an e-mail. In particular, it is no longer possible for the e-mail recipient to access the contents of the authentication server for unauthorized spying on sender e-mails. Another essential advantage of the method according to the invention is that neither the actual sender e-mail address nor the actual recipient e-mail address must be transmitted to the authentication server for carrying out the method. Ie. For example, keys or hash values are sufficient for carrying out the method. The proposed procedure preserves the anonymity of both the sender and the recipient and can therefore be operated under strict data protection requirements.

To an advantageous embodiment before the transmission of the key to the sender terminal from the sender terminal Sender identification data with stored in the authentication server Transmitter identification data compared. Furthermore, can be provided be that the key is only generated when the transmitted from the transmitter terminal transmitter identification data match the sender identification data stored in the authentication server. The transmitter identification data may include at least one of following identification data include: sender e-mail address, Sender Login ID, Sender Password. By the above features is Ensures that only the e-mail sender has the option has the generation of a key. The unwanted Generation of a key by unauthorized third parties counteracted by the aforementioned features.

The Sender identification data is sent to the e-mail sender after a notified in advance. When registering Identification data registered, which is an actual identification of the e-mail sender. After registration the e-mail sender can do this using the then provided Sender identification data participate in the process, the latter Anonymity when accessing the authentication server is maintained.

To A further advantageous embodiment provides that the key is a specific one generated with the algorithm Hash value is. The algorithm can in particular use a one-way hash function, in particular MD5, MD6, CDC32, SHA-1 or a combination thereof, for generating the hash value. Such one-way hash functions make decryption of the key impossible. The method can thus be further improved in terms of safety become.

Further the algorithm can also include a timestamp. That increases continue the safety of the procedure.

To In another embodiment, the key is in a Header or header of the e-mail entered. additionally to the key can in the header section of the e-mail one Identification information of the authentication server and / or hash value calculation information be registered. That's it for the email recipient especially easy to access the authentication server and to verify the key and thus the e-mail sender.

To a particularly simple embodiment is provided that the E-mail at the transmitter terminal is provided with the key. Ie. she does not have to provide the e-mail with the key transmitted separately from the sender terminal to the authentication server become. That saves time. The proposed method is particularly fast.

According to another embodiment of the method, the following steps can be carried out by the e-mail recipient to generate an authenticated e-mail:
Transmitting the key received with the e-mail from the recipient terminal via the data exchange network to the authentication server;
Checking the key in the authentication server by comparison with the stored key; and
Transmission of the authenticity result generated during the check from the authentication server via the data exchange network to the receiver terminal.

With the proposed method steps it is for the E-mail recipient of a generated with the above steps Email possible to authenticate this quickly and easily. In particular, the e-mail recipient may notice that whether the e-mail originates from the e-mail sender actually specified. It can also be used to ensure that the content of the e-mail has not been changed. Since the key u. a. based on the recipient email address information has been generated, it is for the e-mail recipient not possible with this key more information about spy on the e-mail sender at the authentication server.

According to a further embodiment of the method, the e-mail can additionally be provided with the sender e-mail address information and / or the information about the e-mail. In this case, the sender e-mail address information received with the e-mail and / or the information about the e-mail is determined by comparison with the sender e-mail address stored in the generation of the key formation and / or the information about the e-mail checked, and it is the authentication result generated by the authentication server via the data exchange network to the receiver terminal transmitted. By combining the above-mentioned information with the key, the security of the method can be further increased.

To A further embodiment provides that before the transmission the authenticity result to the recipient terminal from the receiver terminal transmitted recipient identification data Receiver identification data stored with the authentication server be compared. Furthermore, it can be provided that the authenticity result is only generated when the transmitted from the receiver terminal Recipient identification data with those in the authentication server stored recipient identification data match. In doing so, the recipient identification data at least one of the following identification data comprises: recipient e-mail address, recipient login identifier, Receiver password. - With the above features can be ensured that only one at Authentication server registered receiver on it accesses. This further increases the safety of the process.

To A further embodiment provides that the information about the e-mail contains content information corresponding to the content of the e-mail. Ie. the information about the e-mail can be a meta-e-mail information and codified information about the content. This can clearly and unambiguously authenticate the e-mail be ensured.

To In a further embodiment it is provided that the sender e-mail address information and / or the recipient e-mail address information is the actual E-mail address or a corresponding hash value corresponding to it is. This allows an anonymous implementation of the procedure. In terms of checking the authenticity The e-mail can be waived on data, which is an immediate Conclusion on the person of the sender and / or the receiver enable.

To In another particularly advantageous embodiment, the sender e-mail address information, the information about the e-mail as well as the at least one E-mail information containing recipient e-mail address information or the corresponding hash values or the like a predetermined first time period in the authentication server deleted. This can be an undesirable mass distribution be counteracted by e-mails.

To In a further embodiment, it is also possible that in a predetermined second period only a predetermined maximum Number of keys sent to the same sender terminal becomes. This feature also serves to prevent unwanted Mass distribution of e-mails.

advantageously, is the email with a the presence of the key indicating symbol. This allows the e-mail recipient to quickly and easily recognize if an email received is authenticated is or not.

following An embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings explained in more detail. Show it:

1 an overview of the essential steps of the procedure,

2 a flow chart for registering an e-mail sender,

3 a flowchart for sending an authenticated e-mail and

4 a flow chart for verifying the authenticity of an authenticated e-mail.

1 schematically shows an overview of the essential steps of the method. First, an e-mail is written by an e-mail sender at a sender terminal in a conventional manner and addressed to an e-mail recipient. The e-mail sender can, advantageously by presetting in a menu, choose whether or not the e-mail should be an e-mail to be authenticated. If the e-mail sender has chosen to generate an e-mail to be authenticated, z. B. when triggering the sending function first transmitted a key generation request to an authentication server. The key generation request includes e-mail information, in particular, sender e-mail address information, e-mail information, and at least recipient e-mail address information. If the email is to be sent to several email recipients at the same time, the email information may also include multiple recipient email address information.

At the Authentication server will then be based on the transmitted E-mail information using a given algorithm a key generated. The key will come with at least one Part of the e-mail information stored in the authentication server. It is also transmitted to the transmitter terminal. There the key is z. B. in the header of the prepared E-mail inserted.

Subsequently the keyed e-mail will be in conventional Way, z. Via an SMTP server and the Internet transmits the receiver terminal.

At the Receiver terminal is the receiver advantageously an icon is displayed for the received e-mail, which indicates its authenticity displays. The recipient can choose, for. B. by Preset in a menu, whether he is an authentication the e-mail wishes or not.

If no authentication is desired, the e-mail recipient open and read the e-mail in a conventional manner.

If an authentication is desired when activating the opening function of the e-mail first one Authentication request sent to the authentication server. The authentication request includes the key. she may also include, at least in part, the e-mail information. It is then checked in the authentication server, if the Key with the email previously generated and stored Key matches. An obtained authentication result is then transmitted to the receiver terminal. If the authentication result is positive, the opening function becomes to the e-mail. Otherwise, the e-mail recipient indicated that the email is not authentic. She can then optionally deleted or also by the e-mail recipient be opened.

2 shows in a flow chart the essential steps for the first registration of a user. To do this, the user first calls up a registration page on the Internet. An input mask for entering registration data is displayed. The registration data are data such as name and address, which allow identification of the user. The registration data are conventionally entered into a plausibility check. If the entered registration data is not plausible, either an error message is issued or the user is asked to correct or complete the registration data. If the registration data is plausible, identification data is generated in a conventional manner. This can be, for example, a login ID and a password. The identification data are transmitted, for example by e-mail to the user.

3 shows in a further flowchart the essential steps for generating an authenticatable e-mail using the method according to the invention. First, a user in a sender terminal conventionally generates an e-mail. Once the e-mail has been completed, information about the e-mail can be generated by triggering an appropriate function. For example, the information about the e-mail may include a timestamp as well as a code specific to the content of the e-mail. Such a code may, for example, contain information about the number of characters used in the e-mail and the like. The e-mail information further includes z. For example, the sender e-mail address information and the recipient e-mail address information. The sender and recipient e-mail address information allow unambiguous identification of the sender or receiver terminal in a network, such as the Internet. Together with the e-mail information, the identification data of the sender are transmitted to an authentication server. The identification data is transferred to the authentication server in a login routine. If the transferred identification data does not match the identification data stored in the authentication server, an error notification occurs. If the identification data match identification data stored in the authentication server, a key is generated using the e-mail information by means of a predetermined algorithm. This can be, for example, a hash value representing the e-mail information.

Of the Key is subsequently transmitted to the sender terminal and inserted there in a header of the prepared e-mail. Subsequently, the thus-supplemented e-mail can be transmitted to the recipient.

4 shows in a further flowchart the essential steps of authenticating an authenticatable e-mail. If an authenticated e-mail marked, for example, with an icon arrives at a recipient, the e-mail can decide whether or not to check the authenticity of the e-mail. If no authenticity check is desired, the recipient can open and read the e-mail in a conventional manner. If an authenticity check is required, the key is taken from the header of the e-mail and sent to the authentication server together with the recipient's identification data. If the identification data of the recipient match the identification data stored for the recipient, the authentication server checks whether the key matches the key previously generated at the request of the sender and stored in the authentication server. The result of this test will be communicated to the recipient. This can then determine whether the e-mail is actually from the sender and whether their content is authentic.

With The proposed method makes it possible in a simple manner the sending of e-mails using wrong sender e-mail address information to prevent. Furthermore, the authenticity of the Contents of the email to be verified.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list The documents listed by the applicant have been automated generated and is solely for better information recorded by the reader. The list is not part of the German Patent or utility model application. The DPMA takes over no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 7290035 B2 [0003]

Claims (20)

Method for generating an authenticatable E-mail with the following steps: Submit a a sender e-mail address information, information about the e-mail and at least one recipient e-mail address information containing e-mail information from a sender terminal over a data exchange network to an authentication server; Produce one to the transmitted sender e-mail address information, the information about the e-mail and the recipient e-mail address information corresponding key using a given Algorithm at the authentication server; To transfer the key from the authentication server via the data exchange network to the sender terminal; Mistake the e-mail with the key; and To transfer the keyed e-mail about that Data exchange network to the receiver terminal. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to transmission of the key to the sender terminal from the sender terminal Sender identification data with stored in the authentication server Sender identification data to be compared. Method according to one of the preceding claims, where the key is generated only when the from Transmitter terminal transmitted transmitter identification data match the sender identification data stored in the authentication server. Method according to one of the preceding claims, the e-mail at the sender terminal with the key is provided. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmitter identification data is at least one of the following Identification data includes: sender e-mail address, sender login identifier, Sender password. Method according to one of the preceding claims, where the key is a specific one generated by the algorithm Hash value is. Method according to one of the preceding claims, where the algorithm is a one-way hash function, especially MD5, MD6, CDC32, SHA-1, or a combination thereof, for generating the Includes hash value. Method according to one of the preceding claims, where the algorithm involves a timestamp. Method according to one of the preceding claims, the key being entered in the header section of the e-mail becomes. Method according to one of the preceding claims, being in addition to the key in the head section the e-mail identification information of the authentication server and / or hash value calculation information is / are entered. Method according to one of the preceding claims, being used to authenticate the e-mails by the e-mail recipient the following steps are performed: To transfer the key received by the e-mail from the recipient terminal via the data exchange network to the authentication server; Check of the key in the authentication server by comparison with the stored key; and transmission the authenticity result generated during the check from the authentication server via the data exchange network to the receiver terminal. The method of claim 11, wherein the e-mail additionally with the sender e-mail address information and / or the information about the e-mail is provided being the one received with the e-mail Sender e-mail address information and / or the information about the email by comparing it with the key generation stored sender e-mail address information and / or information about the email is checked by comparison, and in which the further authenticity result generated during the check from the authentication server via the data exchange network is transmitted to the receiver terminal. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein before the transmission of the authenticity result transmitted to the receiver terminal from the receiver terminal Recipient identification data with in the authentication server deposited recipient identification data are compared. Method according to one of the preceding claims, the authenticity result being generated only if the recipient identification data transmitted by the recipient terminal match the recipient identification data stored in the authentication server. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiver identification data comprise at least one of the following identification data: recipient e-mail address, recipient ger login ID, recipient password. Method according to one of the preceding claims, the information about the email to the content of the E-Mail contains corresponding content information. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sender e-mail address information and / or the recipient e-mail address information the actual e-mail address or a corresponding one is another hash value. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the sender e-mail address information, the information about the e-mail and at least one recipient e-mail address information containing e-mail information or the corresponding Hash values after a predetermined first time period in the authentication server is deleted. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in a predetermined second time period only a predetermined maximum number of keys transmitted to the same sender terminal becomes. Method according to one of the preceding claims, the e-mail with a the presence of the key indicating symbol.