JP3426884B2 - E-mail system and e-mail user management method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic mail system and an electronic mail user management method , and more particularly to managing a plurality of users as one group and representing an electronic mail sent to the group as a password. The present invention relates to a technology effective when applied to an electronic mail system and an electronic mail user management method in which a user accesses an electronic mail sent to himself / herself by authenticating using an authentication identifier.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as the network infrastructure in companies has been improved, the internalization of in-house work has progressed, and electronic mail has become an important position.

The main function of electronic mail is to store electronic mail addressed to users registered in the system, and when the user accesses the electronic mail sent to himself / herself,
There is a function to check whether access is possible by an authentication function that uses an authentication identifier represented by a password.

Further, it has an alias function of managing a plurality of users as one group and distributing the electronic mail sent to the group to all the users registered in the group.

[0005] In general, when transmitting information, an enterprise often sends an e-mail to a user who has a certain authority such as to all the sales departments or to the manager of the sales headquarters.

As a method for realizing this, conventionally, in addition to a personnel group such as a sales staff group and a sales manager group, a system administrator group, a backup administrator group, and electronic mail management have been performed by using an alias function. There is a method in which each user registered in the group receives the same information by e-mail by registering a group in terms of authority such as a person group and sending the information required by each group to the group. .

[0007] As another method, a virtual user having a certain authority is registered, all real users having the authority have a virtual user authentication identifier, and each user has a certain authority. When accessing an e-mail addressed to the e-mail, there is a method of accessing the e-mail using the virtual user authentication identifier.

[0008]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems.

In the method of registering a plurality of users in a group by the above-mentioned alias function, since each electronic mail is sent to all the group members, a plurality of the same electronic mail exists in the system and the storage device is uselessly used. Will be done.

In addition, each user has an email header,
Alternatively, it is necessary to look at the contents to determine which group the electronic mail is sent to to which the user belongs, which imposes a burden on the user.

In addition, in the method of registering virtual users, 1
When a single user has multiple authorizations, it is necessary to know a large number of authorization identifiers, and the user must select the corresponding authorization identifier depending on which authorization is accessed, which is a burden on the user. Grows larger.

Further, when one user loses his / her authority, the authentication identifier of the virtual user is changed so that the user who has lost the authority cannot access the e-mail thereafter, and all the users who have the authority are authorized. This has to be communicated to the user, which increases the burden on the system administrator.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to avoid the waste of the storage device of the electronic mail system, the burden of user's electronic mail access, and the system administrator. It is to provide a technology that can reduce the management burden of the.

[0014]

Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, a brief description will be given to the outline of typical ones.
It is as follows.

In an electronic mail system in which an electronic mail server computer that stores electronic mails and manages user passwords and an electronic mail client computer that each user uses to access electronic mails are connected to a network, said electronic mail server computer, a user registration file storing pairs of the authentication identifier and user name, a group name or a title virtual user name consisting of name and the group registration file storing pairs of user names belonging to that group User management means for managing, e-mail receiving means for receiving and storing e-mail sent to each user, and user input from the e-mail client computer when the user accesses the e-mail Name is not a virtual username Serial performs user authentication based on user authorization file according to the authentication identifier, the user name entered is determined the user name corresponding to the virtual user name based on the group registration file if virtual user name, Yoo
User authentication based on the authentication identifier corresponding to the user name based on the user registration file, and e-mail server means for permitting access to e-mail after authentication.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic mail system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The electronic mail system of this embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic mail server computer 1 and the electronic mail client computer 2 are connected via a network 3 that communicates data transmitted and received between the computers.

The electronic mail server computer 1 is a CP
U11A, a terminal device 11 including a memory 11B having a program (e-mail receiving program 401, e-mail server program 402, and user management program 403) for managing e-mail users, and a pair of a user name and an authentication identifier. User registration file 20 to register
1, a group registration file 202 for registering a pair of a virtual user name and a user name belonging to the group, an external storage device 12 for storing an electronic mail 203 sent to each user, and a communication port 13. Become.

The electronic mail client computer 2 is composed of a CPU 21A, a terminal device 21 including a memory 21B having an electronic mail client program 404, and a communication port 22.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the user registration file 201 and the group registration file 202 stored in the external storage device 12 described above.

As shown in FIG. 2, the user registration file 2
In 01, a pair of a user name 2010 and an authentication identifier 2011 for use by a user management program 403 operating on the electronic mail server computer 1 is registered.

Further, the group registration file 202, the user name that belongs to the group and its corresponding virtual user name 2020 (if it has a different authentication identifier includes both a double authentication identifier) 2021 pairs are registered ing

If the users in the group corresponding to the virtual user name 2020 do not use the double authentication identifier in the contents of the group registration file 202, the user names 2021 in the second field separated by spaces are arranged in a line. Is
Although the user name is stored as it is, when the user uses a double authentication identifier, the user name and the authentication identifier are concatenated and stored separated by ":". However, it is assumed that ":" cannot be used in the user name.

The user registration file 201 and the authentication identifiers 2011 and 2021 stored in the group registration file 202 are both encrypted using the encryption function provided by the operating system of the electronic mail server computer 1. It is assumed that

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of a screen of the electronic mail client program 404 for accessing the electronic mail 203.

As shown in FIG. 3, each character input field has a user name 301 on the first line, an authentication identifier 302 for each user on the second line, and a double authentication identifier 30 on the third line.
It is for inputting 3.

By pressing the OK button 304 at the bottom line,
The character strings input in the three character input fields are transmitted to the electronic mail server program 402 running on the electronic mail server computer 1 via the network 3 to be authenticated. If there is a risk of wiretapping on the network 3, the data to be transmitted is encrypted. If the user wants to end without using the electronic mail system, the end button 305 is pressed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the processing of the electronic mail system by the three programs (user management program 401, electronic mail receiving program 402, electronic mail server program 403) running on the electronic mail server computer 1 described above. is there.

As shown in FIG. 4, the e-mail receiving program 401 divides the e-mail 203 sent from another computer for each destination user name 2010, and stores it in a specific storage location on the external storage device 12. To store.
This storage method includes a method of sequentially storing all the electronic mails 203 in one file, a method of storing one electronic mail 203 as one file in one directory, and the like.

The e-mail server program 402 is connected from the e-mail client computer 2, and upon receiving the data of the user name 301, the authentication identifier 302, and the double authentication identifier 303, requests the user management program 403 for authentication. .

The user management program 403 is a user registration file 201 stored in the external storage device 12.
User name 2010 and authentication identifier 20 registered in
11 pairs, the virtual user name 2020 registered in the group registration file 202 and the user name 2 belonging to the group 2
The pair 021 is checked, authentication is performed, and the result is returned to the electronic mail server program 402.

If the response result from the user management program 403 is authenticated, the electronic mail server program 402 sends the electronic mail client computer 2 that it has been authenticated, and then responds to the command from the electronic mail client computer 2. Then, the electronic mail 203 stored in the storage location is operated.

If the authentication is not successful, the fact that the authentication is not successful is transmitted to the electronic mail client computer 2, and the connection is cut off.

Next, the processing of each of the programs 401 to 404 for managing the above-mentioned electronic mail user will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of the electronic mail client program 404 operating on the electronic mail client computer 2.

E-mail client program 404
When is activated, the user name 301 and the
A window for inputting the authentication identifier 302 and the dual authentication identifier 303 is displayed (step 501), and the user waits until the user inputs characters and the OK button 304 is pressed (step 502). When the OK button 304 is pressed, the user name 3 of the window displayed on the screen is displayed.
01, authentication identifier 302, double authentication identifier 303
The input character strings are respectively taken out from the field for inputting, and they are combined to form one character string (step 503). After that, connect to the e-mail server program 401 via the network 3 and perform step 5
The character string created in 03 is encrypted by the method held only by the electronic mail client program 404 and the electronic mail server program 402, and is transmitted (step 50).
4).

Next, the electronic mail server program 402
Then, the result of whether or not the user can be authenticated is received by using the transmitted character string (step 505). If the user name 301 and the authentication identifier 302 thus transmitted are not authenticated, the process is repeated from step 502.

If the user is authenticated, a screen for operating the e-mail 203 is displayed, and the user operates the e-mail 203 such as reading or deleting the e-mail 203 while communicating with the e-mail server program 402. Repeat until the end of the program is instructed (step 50
7).

FIG. 6 shows an electronic mail receiving program 401.
3 is a flowchart showing the operation of FIG.

When the electronic mail receiving program 401 is started, the user name 2010 is read from the user registration file 201.
Is read and stored in the program (step 60).
1). After that, it waits for a connection to receive the email 203 sent from another computer (step 60).
2).

When the connection is established, the electronic mail 203 is received, and it is confirmed whether the destination user described in the header of the electronic mail 203 is a registered user (step 603).

If the user is not registered, an error message indicating that the user is not registered is created in the electronic mail system of the connected computer and sent as an electronic mail (step 604), and step 602. Repeat from.

When the recipient is a registered user, the electronic mail 20 received in the electronic mail storage location for each registered user, which is secured in the external storage device 12.
The contents of step 3 are stored (step 605), and step 601
Repeat from.

FIG. 7 shows an electronic mail server program 40.
It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of 2.

When the electronic mail server program 402 is activated, it waits for a connection from the electronic mail client program 404 (step 701), and a character string obtained by combining the user name 301, the authentication identifier 302 and the double authentication identifier 303 is encrypted. The encrypted data is received, decrypted by a method held only by the email client program 404 and the email server program 402, and transmitted to the user management program 403 (step 702).

Next, the authentication result is received from the user management program 403 (step 703). It is confirmed whether or not the received result has been authenticated (step 704). If the received result is not authenticable, a message indicating that authentication is impossible is transmitted to the electronic mail client program 404 (step 705) and the process is repeated from step 701. .

If the received result is authenticated,
The authenticated message is sent to the email client program 404 (step 706), and the connection from the email client program 404 is terminated.
In response to an electronic mail operation command sent from the electronic mail client program 404, the result of operating the electronic mail 203 stored in the external storage device 12 of the electronic mail server computer 1 is the electronic mail client program. The transmission to 404 is repeated (step 707).

E-mail client program 404
When the connection between and is disconnected, the process is repeated from step 701.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the operation of the user management program 403.

When the user management program 403 is started, the user name 2010 is read from the user registration file 201.
And a pair of the authentication identifier 2011, from a group registration file 202, reads the virtual user name 2020 and the user name (including a double authentication identifier) 2021 belonging to the group, and stores in the program (step 801).

Next, the electronic mail server program 402
Waiting for connection from the user name 301 and the authentication identifier 30
Receiving a double or double authentication identifier 303 (step 8)
02).

Thereafter, it is checked whether the user name 301 is a virtual user name (step 803), and if it is not a virtual user, the operating system of the electronic mail server computer 1 provides the received authentication identifier 302. It is encrypted by using the encryption function, and it is confirmed whether or not it is equal to the authentication identifier 2011 corresponding to the user name 2010 stored in the program (step 80).
4).

If they are equal, the authenticated message is sent to the electronic mail server program 402 (step 8).
05), and repeat from step 802.

If they are not equal, a message indicating that authentication is impossible is transmitted to the electronic mail server program 402 (step 806) and the process is repeated from step 802.

If the user name 301 is a virtual user name, the received authentication identifier 302 is assigned to the operating name of the electronic mail server computer for each user name 2021 registered in the group corresponding to the virtual user name. What is encrypted using the encryption function provided by the system, and the user name 201 stored in the program
The authentication identifiers 2011 corresponding to 0 are sequentially compared for equality (step 807).

If no equivalent is found, an e-mail server program 40 sends a message indicating that authentication is not possible.
2 (step 808) and repeats from step 802.

When a user having the same authentication identifier 302 is found, it is checked whether or not the corresponding user has a double authentication identifier 2021 registered in the group registration file 202 (step 809). For example, the authenticated message is transmitted to the electronic mail server program 402 (step 810) and the process is repeated from step 802.

The corresponding user has a double authentication identifier 20.
When 21 is registered, the received double authentication identifier 303 is encrypted using the encryption function provided by the operating system of the electronic mail server computer 402, and the registered double authentication identifier is 202
It is checked whether 1s are equal (step 811), and if they are not equal, an unauthenticated message is sent to the e-mail server program 402 (step 812), and if they are equal, an authenticated message is sent to the e-mail server program 402. (Step 813), Step 802
Repeat from.

[0060] Thus, as has been described, in an e-mail server computer, a user name and a user registration file that stores a pair of the authentication identifier, group registration for storing a pair of user names that belong to the virtual user name and its group A user management program for managing files, an e-mail receiving program for receiving e-mails sent from other computers, and storing the e-mails separately for each user in a dedicated storage area for storing e-mails, and an e-mail client When a user tries to access an e-mail from a computer, the user is authenticated by the authentication identifier, and then an e-mail server program for accessing the e-mail stored in the e-mail storage location is provided. On the email client computer, Start the client program, enter the user name and authentication identifier, and send it to the email server program. If the received user name is not a virtual username, the email server program uses the user name and authentication from the user registration file. A pair of identifiers for authentication, authenticates whether the received identifier is equal to or not, authorizes the user to access the email, and if the received user name is a virtual user name, the virtual user from the group registration file The user names registered in the group corresponding to the user name are retrieved in order, the authentication identifier corresponding to that user name is retrieved from the user registration file, and if there is an authentication identifier that matches the received authentication identifier, the user name is Retain and allow users to access emails addressed to virtual users More mail came sent to the virtual user may be present only one on the storage device, prevents the wasteful use of the storage device, and, when each user to access the e-mail,
It is necessary to clearly indicate which authorized user, and it becomes easy to know which authorized user has access to the email sent to the authorized user. If only one identifier is remembered, the virtual user with any authority can access the e-mail, and the burden on the user can be reduced.

Further, even when a member registered in a certain group is deleted from the group, there is no need to change the authentication identifier for the group, and the burden on the system administrator can be reduced.

Further, when a user is registered in a group corresponding to a virtual user, a security function can be strengthened by having a function of setting a double authentication identifier for each user.

The above-mentioned programs may be provided to general users on a storage medium such as a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, a mask ROM or the like. In this case, in addition to these processes, it may be provided to the user in combination with another program such as a GUI program.

As an alternative means of providing the above-mentioned storage medium, it may be provided for a fee through a network such as the Internet.

As described above, the invention made by the present inventor is
Although specifically described based on the above embodiment, the present invention is
It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0066]

The effects obtained by the typical ones of the inventions disclosed in the present application will be briefly described as follows.

It is possible to reduce the user's burden of accessing the email and the management burden of the system administrator without wasting the storage device of the email system.

Further, the security function can be enhanced by providing a function of setting a double authentication identifier for each user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic mail system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a user registration file 201 and a group registration file 202.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of a screen of an electronic mail client program 404 for accessing an electronic mail 203.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the processing of the electronic mail system by three programs running on the electronic mail server computer 1.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic mail client program 404.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of an electronic mail receiving program 401.

7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic mail server program 402. FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of a user management program 403.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Information providing computer, 2 ... User information management computer, 3 ... Network 11, 21 ... Terminal device, 1
1A, 21B ... CPU, 11B, 21B ... Memory, 12
... external storage device, 13, 22 ... communication port, 201 ... user registration file, 202 ... group registration file, 2
03 ... E-mail, 401 ... E-mail receiving program, 402 ... E-mail server program, 403 ... User management program, 404 ... E-mail client program.

Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04L 12/58 G06F 13/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An e-mail system in which an e-mail server computer that stores e-mail and manages user passwords and an e-mail client computer that each user uses to access e-mail are connected to a network. In the email server computer, the user name and authentication
A user registration file storing pairs of use identifiers, virtual user name consisting of a group name or title name and a user management means for managing a group registration file storing pairs of user names belonging to that group, addressed to each user An electronic mail receiving means for receiving and storing the sent electronic mail, and the user registration if the user name input from the electronic mail client computer when the user accesses the electronic mail is not a virtual user name performs user authentication by the authentication identifier based on files, the user name corresponding to the virtual user name user name entered is based on the group registration file if virtual username
The user name based on the user registration file.
And an electronic mail server means for permitting access to an electronic mail after the authentication. 2. The electronic mail system according to claim 1, wherein the group registration file has a second authentication identifier for each user belonging to a virtual user name, and the electronic mail server means is a user. There when accessing the e-mail, e-mail system, characterized by comprising means for performing authentication by the authentication identifier that the user authorization file and said group registration file has respectively. 3. An e-mail server computer that stores e-mails and manages user passwords, and an e-mail client computer that each user uses to access e-mails are network-connected.
E-mail user management method in e-mail system
A is, in the electronic mail server computer, and a user registration file storing pairs of the authentication identifier and the user name,
Managing a virtual user name consisting of a group name or title and a group registration file storing a pair of user names belonging to the group, and receiving and storing an email sent to each user When the user accesses the e-mail, if the user name input from the e-mail client computer is not a virtual user name, the user is authenticated by the authentication identifier based on the user registration file, and the input is made. If the user name is a virtual user name, based on the group registration file, the user name corresponding to the virtual user name is used.
Corresponding to the user name based on the user registration file
Performs user authentication by the authentication identifier, e-mail user management method characterized by comprising the step of granting access to e-mail after authentication.