JP2004096311A - Method and system for using character to collate mail sender - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and system for using a character to collate a mail sender with the character in order to avoid reception of viruses from mail. <P>SOLUTION: A collation server (1) stores cross-reference information between a sender mail address and its character data. Terminals (2,3) have a mail program and a collation program started and lost in interlocking with the mail program. Accordingly, a transmission terminal transmits a sender character to the collation server (S23), the collation server transmits sender character data corresponding to the character to the transmission terminal (S24), the transmission terminal reprints the character data onto mail and transmits the resulting mail (S25), a reception terminal transmits the character data reprinted on the mail to the collation server (S33), the collation server collates the character data (S34), and the reception terminal displays the collation result to allow a mail recipient to select whether the recipient reads the mail or deletes the mail (S35). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and system for verifying a mail sender.
[0002]
Problems to be solved by the prior art and the invention
In recent years, with the development of the Internet, distribution of viruses by mail has become a social problem. Usually, a mail program receives even a mail with a source mail address unknown to the mail recipient. Even if the mail has a reliable source mail address, the mail itself may be infected with a virus.
[0003]
FIG. 1 shows a screen of a received mail list of a conventional mail program.
[0004]
Normally, when a mail is received, a list of the received mails is displayed on the received mail list screen of the mail program. This screen simply displays the sender name, subject, transmission date and time, or file size of the received mail. At this time, the mail recipient cannot know whether or not the received mail is infected with a virus. Therefore, if the mail recipient has an unknown sender name and subject, or has an unusually large file size, the mail recipient reads or deletes the mail, suspecting that the mail is infected with a virus. You need to decide.
[0005]
In some cases, the mail program can receive not only a text-format mail but also a HTML (HyperText Markup Language) -format mail. For example, the mail program shown in FIG. 1 displays an HTML document of the mail on another screen upon receiving the mail. Therefore, when an e-mail infected with a virus is received, there is a problem that the contents of the e-mail are executed simultaneously with the reception of the e-mail, and the e-mail is immediately infected with the virus.
[0006]
In addition to the problem of mail being infected with a virus, in recent years, in an Internet web site bulletin board or the like, a character may be used together with a pseudonym in order to identify oneself, although anonymous. This character is a simple cartoon of a face and is a small amount of image data. The user can select from a number of characters, or specify a unique character by combining features, hairstyles, glasses, or the like. Therefore, the user identifies himself / herself using such a character and establishes communication with a third party.
[0007]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system for collating a mail sender in order to avoid receiving a virus by a mail. At this time, according to the present invention, a character that can be selected by the user's preference is used.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, a first terminal that transmits an e-mail, a second terminal that receives the e-mail, and a verification server that communicates with each of the terminals are provided. A collation method,
The character is image data selected by the mail sender to specify the mail sender, and corresponds to character data in a text format,
The matching server stores correspondence information between the source mail address and character data corresponding to the source character,
The terminal has a mail program, and a collation program that starts and disappears in conjunction with the mail program,
A first step of, when the first terminal transmits an e-mail using the e-mail program, starting a collation program, and transmitting the source character to the collation server using the collation program;
A second step in which the matching server transmits source character data corresponding to the source character to the first terminal using the correspondence information;
A third step in which the first terminal reprints the transmission source character data into the mail using the collation program and transmits the mail using the mail program;
When the second terminal receives the mail from the mail server using the mail program, the second terminal uses the matching program to send the source mail address and the source character data reprinted in the mail to the matching server. A fourth stage of transmitting;
A collating server collating character data corresponding to the source mail address with the source character data received from the second terminal using the correspondence information, and transmitting the collation result to the second terminal; Stages and
And a sixth step of displaying the collation result using the collation program, and allowing the mail recipient to select whether to read or delete the mail.
[0009]
According to another embodiment of the present invention, it is also preferable that the matching server is a Web server and the matching program of the terminal is a Web browser.
[0010]
According to another embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the character is constituted by a combination of texture data selected by the mail sender.
[0011]
Further, according to another embodiment of the present invention, for the first step:
When the first terminal sends a mail using the mail program, the first terminal accesses the matching server using the matching program,
The collation server transmits to the first terminal a transmission page displaying a pre-recorded mixture of a legitimate transmission source character identifying the mail sender and other invalid characters,
It is also preferable that the first terminal displays the transmission page using the collation program, causes the mail sender to select any one of the plurality of characters, and transmits the selected character to the collation server.
[0012]
Further, according to another embodiment of the present invention, prior to the first stage, the terminal may include an address comprising a source mail address and a plurality of destination mail addresses of a mail sender based on the source mail address. It is also preferable to have a step of recording the book in advance on the collation server.
[0013]
Further, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the collation result is determined based on whether the source character data recorded in the collation server 1 matches the received character data with respect to the source mail address. It is also preferable that there is a case where the sender mail address is not recorded in the matching server.
[0014]
Further, according to the present invention, a first terminal that transmits an e-mail, a second terminal that receives the e-mail, and a verification server that communicates with each of the terminals, and transmits the e-mail using a character A system for collating persons
The character is image data selected by the mail sender to specify the mail sender, and corresponds to character data in a text format,
The matching server includes: a database for storing correspondence information between a source mail address and character data corresponding to the source character; and source character data corresponding to the source character received from the first terminal using the correspondence information. To the first terminal, character data corresponding to the source mail address received from the second terminal using the correspondence information, and source character data received from the second terminal. Fifth means for comparing and transmitting a result of the comparison to the second terminal,
The terminal has a mail program that sends and receives mail, and a collation program that starts and disappears in conjunction with the mail program, and the collation program is used when the mail program sends mail and receives mail from a mail server. When the mail program sends an e-mail, the collation program transmits the source character to the collation server, and reprints the source character data received from the collation server into the e-mail. A third means for transmitting, when the mail program receives the mail, a transmission source mail address and transmission source character data reprinted in the mail to the verification server, The collation result received from is displayed, and the mail recipient is allowed to select whether to read or delete the mail. And having a stage.
[0015]
According to another embodiment of the present invention, it is also preferable that the matching server is a Web server and the matching program of the terminal is a Web browser.
[0016]
According to another embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the character is constituted by a combination of texture data selected by the mail sender.
[0017]
Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the terminal is configured such that, when sending an e-mail using the e-mail program, the terminal accesses the collation server, and transmits the transmission page received from the collation server. Means for displaying, selecting one of the plurality of characters by the mail sender, and transmitting the selected character to the collation server.
It is also preferable that the collation server has means for transmitting to the first terminal a transmission page in which a valid source character for specifying the mail sender recorded in advance and other illegal characters are mixedly displayed.
[0018]
Further, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the terminal stores the source mail address and the address book including the plurality of destination mail addresses of the mail sender based on the source mail address in the matching server in advance. It is also preferable to have means for recording.
[0019]
Further, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the collation result is determined based on whether the source character data recorded in the collation server 1 matches the received character data with respect to the source mail address. It is also preferable that there is a case where the sender mail address is not recorded in the matching server.
[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0021]
FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram in the present invention.
[0022]
According to FIG. 2, the collation server 1, the mail sending terminal 2 and the receiving terminal 3, and the mail server 4 are connected to the Internet 5. The e-mail is transmitted and received via the mail server 4 using a general method of POP (Post Office Protocol) and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). On the other hand, the transmitting terminal 2 transmits a character specifying the mail sender to the matching server 1, and the receiving terminal 3 checks the mail sender through the matching server 1.
[0023]
The transmitting terminal 2 and the receiving terminal 3 have a matching program together with the existing mail program. The collation program is configured to be activated in conjunction with the mail program when the mail program transmits a mail and receives a mail.
[0024]
The collation program according to the present invention is a Web browser, whereas the collation server 1 is a Web server. Therefore, the matching server 1 transmits data in the HTML format, and the display screen of the terminal is controlled by the matching server 1.
[0025]
FIG. 3 is a user registration sequence diagram in the present invention.
[0026]
According to FIG. 3, each of the terminals 2 and 3 registers the character of the user of the terminal in the matching server 1 when the matching program is installed.
(S10) The collation program accesses the collation server 1.
(S11) The collation server 1 transmits a character registration page in HTML format to the terminal collation program.
(S12) The collation program sends the character selected by the user's instruction to the collation server 1.
(S13) Further, the collation program transmits an address book including the transmission destination mail address of the user to the collation server 1.
[0027]
This address book is registered in the database of the matching server 1. Then, if the user corresponding to the destination mail address described in the address book has previously registered a character, the matching server 1 associates the destination mail address with the character data. Even if the character has not been registered before, when the user corresponding to the destination mail address registers a character, the destination mail address is associated with the character data.
[0028]
FIG. 4 is a display screen of the character registration page in S12.
[0029]
The registration page is displayed by a collation program having a function of a Web browser of the terminal. According to FIG. 4, first, the user's mail address is input. Here, for example, “yasuda@mail.com” is input. Next, the matching program causes the user to select a character. According to FIG. 4, for example, it is possible to select texture data of a face, a hairstyle, a hat or glasses, etc., whereby only one character is selected. Here, character data in text format is assigned to each texture data. Accordingly, the character finally selected according to FIG. 4, “a girl wearing glasses with a ponytail hairstyle” is represented by character data “03AE * &”.
[0030]
Note that it is not always necessary to use a combination of texture data, and the user may simply select one from dozens or more characters. Of course, it is also possible to change the registered character.
[0031]
FIG. 5 is a mail transmission / reception sequence diagram in the present invention.
[0032]
First, the mail transmission sequence will be described. FIG. 6 shows a display screen of the terminal 2 in S20 and S23 described later.
[0033]
(S20) In the terminal 2, a mail is created using a mail program, and the mail is temporarily put in the outbox. Thereafter, the user instructs transmission and reception of mail. According to FIG. 6, the transmission button has been clicked by the user.
(S21) When the user instructs the mail program to send and receive mail, the verification program pops up on the front of the mail program, starts up, and accesses the verification server 1.
(S22) The collation server 1 displays a preregistered valid character for specifying the mail sender and other invalid characters in a mixed manner, and sends a transmission page to be selected by the mail sender to the terminal 2. Send. This can prevent a malicious third party from sending an e-mail using the e-mail address of the e-mail sender.
[0034]
(S23) The collation program of the terminal 2 displays the transmission page and prompts the mail sender to select which character is valid. According to FIG. 6, the terminal 2 displays a message "Please select your own character when transmitting a character." When transmitting a character for collation to the mail receiver, the user selects his own valid character. At this time, the one selected by the mail sender may be legitimate or unjust. Whether to read or delete the mail is left to the choice of the mail recipient.
[0035]
The character is not only easier for the user to memorize than a password consisting of a character string and is user-friendly, but also gives the user a game feeling by an application program that displays or moves the character for a certain period of time. However, it is preferable that the information on the selected character is deleted from the record of the terminal 2 after a certain period of time. This is because the selected character has a function as a kind of password.
[0036]
However, depending on the option selection, the matching program may automatically select a valid character. These selected mail sender characters are transmitted to the matching server 1.
[0037]
(S24) The matching server 1 transmits character data (character string data) corresponding to the received character (image data) to the terminal 2. For example, the character data “03AE * &” is transmitted to the terminal 2 for the character selected in FIG.
(S25) The matching program of the terminal 2 notifies the mail program of the received character data, and reprints the character data in a mail in a text format. The character data may be reprinted at any position in the mail, but it is required that the character data match between the transmitting terminal 2 and the receiving terminal 3. Thereafter, the verification program falls down and disappears, and the mail program is displayed in the foreground. Finally, the mail program sends this mail to the mail server 4.
[0038]
Next, a mail receiving sequence will be described. FIG. 7 shows a display screen of the terminal 3 in S35 and S36 described later.
[0039]
(S31) The mail program of the terminal 3 accesses the mail server 4 according to a user's instruction or periodically.
(S32) Since the mail of the user of the terminal 3 has been received, the mail server 4 transmits the mail to the mail program of the terminal 3.
[0040]
(S33) When the mail program of the terminal 3 receives the mail, the collation program starts and detects whether or not the character data is reprinted in the mail. If it has been reprinted, the matching program sends the character data and the sender's mail address to the matching server 1.
(S34) The matching server 1 searches the database based on the received sender mail address. Then, the searched character data is collated with the character data received from the terminal 3, and a character collation page displaying the collation result is transmitted to the terminal 3.
[0041]
(S35) At this time, the collation program of the terminal 3 starts up by popping up on the front of the mail program, and displays the received character collation page. According to FIG. 7, the verification program is displayed by popping up from the mail program, and the verification result received from the verification server 1 is displayed in the verification program. In FIG. 7, a warning mark and a character are displayed together with the sender name, subject, size, and transmission date and time of the received mail.
[0042]
The warning mark is displayed, for example, as follows.
When the source mail address of the received mail is recorded in the address book corresponding to the received source mail address, and the character data registered in the verification server 1 matches the character data of the received mail. , A green circle is displayed.
-If the sender's email address of the received email is not recorded in the address book corresponding to the received email address, the black? Display the mark.
The sender's mail address of the received mail is recorded in the address book corresponding to the received receiver's mail address, but the character data registered in the matching server 1 does not match the character data of the received mail. If so, display a red flag.
[0043]
According to FIG. 7, the character is displayed corresponding to the received mail in the collation program. Also, the user who has received the mail can select whether to read or delete the mail by referring to the warning mark.
[0044]
(S36) When the user who has received the mail selects "read", the collation program falls down as shown in FIG. 7, and the contents of the mail of the mail program are displayed. On the other hand, if the user selects “delete”, the mail is forcibly deleted from the mail program. This makes it possible to solve the problem that the contents of the mail infected with the virus are executed by the mail program.
[0045]
FIG. 8 is a functional configuration diagram of the matching server 1 according to the present invention.
[0046]
According to FIG. 8, the matching server 1 includes a character server 11 and a character database 12. The character server 11 includes a Web server unit 111, a registration page control unit 112, a transmission page control unit 113, and a character collation page control unit 115.
[0047]
The Web server unit 111 transmits HTML format data to the terminal verification program via the Internet 5. The registration page control unit 112 executes the character registration sequence described above with reference to FIG. The transmission page control unit 113 executes the mail transmission sequence shown in FIG. The character matching page control unit 114 executes the mail receiving sequence shown in FIG. Further, the character matching unit 115 compares the character data retrieved using the character database 12 with the source mail address received by the character matching page control unit 114 and the source mail address received by the character matching page control unit 114. Check with character data. The collation result is notified to the character collation page control unit 114.
[0048]
The character database 12 records the character data “03AE * &” for the selected character for the registered mail address “yasuda@mail.com”. In addition, for each mail address, an address book of the mail address user is recorded. In the address book, a mail address and character data are recorded. By registering the address book, it is possible to determine whether the source email address of the received mail is recorded in the address book corresponding to the received source email address, Can be displayed on the collation page.
[0049]
In the above-described various embodiments of the present invention, various changes, modifications, and omissions of the scope of the technical idea and viewpoint of the present invention can be easily performed by those skilled in the art. The above description is merely an example and is not intended to be limiting. The invention is limited only as defined by the following claims and equivalents thereof.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a very simple implementation without using an existing e-mail program without modifying the existing e-mail program, because a collation program including a Web browser linked to the e-mail program is used. It is also possible to solve the problem that the contents of the mail are executed simultaneously with the reception of the mail, and the virus is immediately infected. In addition, since a character is used as the collation data for collating the mail sender instead of a mere password, a very user-friendly interface can be realized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a screen of a received mail list of a conventional mail program.
FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a user registration sequence diagram in the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a display screen of a character registration page in S12.
FIG. 5 is a mail transmission / reception sequence diagram in the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a display screen of the terminal 2 in S20 and S23.
FIG. 7 is a display screen of the terminal 3 in S35 and S36.
FIG. 8 is a functional configuration diagram of the matching server 1 according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 collation server 2 mail transmitting terminal 3 mail receiving terminal 4 mail server 11 character server 111 Web server 112 registration page control unit 113 transmission page control unit 114 character collation page control unit 115 character data collation unit 12 character database

Claims (12)

A method for collating a mail sender using a character, comprising: a first terminal that transmits an e-mail, a second terminal that receives the e-mail, and a verification server that communicates with each of the terminals. ,
The character is image data selected by the mail sender in order to identify the mail sender, and corresponds to character data in a text format. The matching server includes a sender mail address and a sender character. Information corresponding to the character data corresponding to
The terminal has a mail program and a collation program that starts and disappears in conjunction with the mail program,
A first step of, when the first terminal transmits the mail using the mail program, activating the matching program and transmitting the source character to the matching server using the matching program; ,
A second step in which the matching server transmits source character data corresponding to the source character to the first terminal using the correspondence information;
A third step in which the first terminal reprints the transmission source character data into the mail using the collation program and transmits the mail using the mail program;
When the second terminal receives the mail from a mail server using the mail program, the second terminal uses the matching program to check the source mail address and the source character data reprinted in the mail. A fourth step of transmitting to the matching server;
The collation server compares the character data corresponding to the source mail address with the source character data received from the second terminal using the correspondence information, and compares a result of the comparison with the second terminal. A fifth step of sending to
A second step in which the second terminal displays the collation result using the collation program, and allows a mail recipient to select whether to read or delete the mail. A method of matching email senders using The method according to claim 1, wherein the matching server is a web server, and the matching program of the terminal is a web browser. The method according to claim 1, wherein the character is configured by a combination of texture data selected by the mail sender. Regarding the first stage,
When the first terminal transmits the mail using the mail program, the first terminal accesses the matching server using the matching program,
The collation server transmits to the first terminal a transmission page displaying a mixture of the legitimate transmission source character that identifies the mail sender recorded in advance and other illegal characters,
The first terminal displays the transmission page using the collation program, causes the mail sender to select one of a plurality of the characters, and transmits the selected character to the collation server. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises: Before the first step, the terminal stores the source mail address and an address book including a plurality of destination mail addresses of the mail sender based on the source mail address in the matching server in advance. 5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of recording. The comparison result indicates whether the transmission source mail address matches the transmission source character data recorded in the verification server 1 with the received character data, the non-coincidence, and the transmission source mail address. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the information may not be recorded in the matching server. A system for collating a mail sender using a character, comprising: a first terminal that transmits an e-mail, a second terminal that receives the e-mail, and a verification server that communicates with each of the terminals. ,
The character is image data selected by the mail sender in order to identify the mail sender, and corresponds to character data in a text format. The matching server includes a sender mail address and a sender character. And transmitting to the first terminal transmission source character data corresponding to the transmission source character received from the first terminal using the correspondence information, a database storing correspondence information with the character data corresponding to the character data. Second means, using the correspondence information, collating character data corresponding to the source mail address received from the second terminal with the source character data received from the second terminal, Fifth means for transmitting the result of the collation to the second terminal,
The terminal has a mail program that sends and receives mail, and a collation program that starts and disappears in conjunction with the mail program.The collation program is used when the mail program transmits the mail and from the mail server. The verification program is activated when an e-mail is received, and when the e-mail program transmits the e-mail, the first means for transmitting the transmission source character to the verification server; and Third means for transferring the received source character data to the mail, when the mail program receives the mail, the source mail address, and the source character data transferred to the mail. Fourth means for transmitting to the matching server, and the checking means received from the matching server. Results Display, system for matching mail sender using a character and having a sixth means for selecting whether to read or delete the e-mail to the mail recipient. The system according to claim 7, wherein the matching server is a Web server, and the matching program of the terminal is a Web browser. 9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the character is constituted by a combination of texture data selected by the mail sender. The terminal displays, for the first means, a means for accessing the matching server when sending the mail using the mail program, and the transmission page received from the matching server; Means for causing the mail sender to select any one of the characters, and transmitting the selected character to the collation server.
The collation server has a unit for transmitting to the first terminal a transmission page displaying a mixture of the legitimate transmission source character that identifies the mail sender recorded in advance and other illegal characters. The system according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that: The terminal has means for pre-recording the source mail address and an address book including a plurality of destination mail addresses of the mail sender based on the source mail address in the collation server. The system according to any one of claims 7 to 10. The comparison result indicates whether the transmission source mail address matches the transmission source character data recorded in the verification server 1 with the received character data, the non-coincidence, and the transmission source mail address. The system according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the information may not be recorded in the matching server.

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