Computerized system for dynamic image inclusion in an electronic message

1 . An electronic message system for managing malicious images in incoming electronic messages comprising:

a gateway computer system in communications with a message transport system, wherein the gateway computer system is adapted to;

receive an original incoming electronic message from a sender message system prior to the original incoming electronic message extending into a perimeter of a recipient message system, wherein the original incoming electronic message comprises an image;

analyze the image according to a set of warning criteria to determine whether the image is potentially malicious;

remove the image from the original incoming electronic message based on the determination that the image is potentially malicious;

store the image on an image server;

add a link to the image that is placed in the original incoming electronic message to provide a modified incoming electronic message; and

transmit the modified incoming electronic message to the recipient message system;

wherein the original incoming electronic message is received by the recipient message system, wherein the recipient message system receives the modified incoming electronic message, retrieves the image from the image server according to the modified incoming electronic message and displays the image; and

wherein the gateway computer system is further adapted to;

reduce a risk of malicious image embedded in the incoming electronic messages; and

allow the sender message system to use a standard email message system.

2 . The electronic message system of claim 1 wherein the gateway computer system is outside the perimeter of the recipient's message system.

3 . The electronic message system of claim 1 wherein the image is modified according to changes in an attribute associated with the modified incoming electronic message.

4 . The electronic message system of claim 1 wherein the gateway computer system is included in the recipient's message system.

5 . The electronic message system of claim 1 including a set of blocked internet protocol (IP) addresses and, wherein the gateway computer system adds a blocked IP address image indicator to the image when an IP address of the sender message system matches an entry in the set of blocked IP addresses.

6 . The electronic message system of claim 1 including a set of blocked sender addresses and wherein the gateway computer system adds a blocked sender indicator to the image when a sender address matches an entry in the set of blocked sender addresses.

7 . The electronic message system of claim 1 wherein the gateway computer system receives the original incoming electronic message prior to the recipient's message system according to an Mail Exchange record associated with the original incoming electronic message.

8 . An electronic message system for managing malicious images in incoming electronic messages comprising:

a gateway computer system in communications with a message transport system, wherein the gateway computer system:

receives an original incoming electronic message from a sender message system prior to the original incoming electronic message extending into a perimeter of a recipient message system, wherein the original incoming electronic message comprises an image;

analyzes the image according to a set of warning criteria to determine whether the image is potentially malicious;

removes the image from the original incoming electronic message based on the determination that the image is potentially malicious;

stores the removed image electronic message on an image server; and

adds an image link to the original incoming electronic message to provide a modified incoming electronic message, wherein the modified incoming message does not include the image, wherein the gateway computer system transmits the modified incoming electronic message to the recipient message system;

wherein the recipient message system receives the modified incoming electronic message, retrieves the image from the image server according to the image link and displays the modified incoming electronic message and the image to a recipient; and

wherein the gateway computer system is adapted to:

reduce a risk of malicious image embedded in the incoming electronic messages; and

allows the sender message system to use a standard email message system.

9 . The electronic message system of claim 8 wherein the image is an indicator representing an attribute taken from a group consisting of information that the original incoming electronic message: has been transmitted, placed the original incoming electronic message in a holding area, deleted, originates from a risky source, and any combination thereof.

10 . The electronic message system of claim 8 wherein the gateway computer system transmits the modified incoming electronic message to a holding area outside the perimeter of the recipient's message system.

11 . The electronic message system of claim 10 wherein the gateway computer system transmits a notification to the recipient's message system representing the modified incoming electronic message being stored in a holding area outside the perimeter of the recipient message system.

12 . The electronic message system of claim 8 wherein the gateway computer system modifies an indicator in the image.

13 . An electronic message system for managing malicious images in incoming electronic messages comprising:

a gateway computer system in communications with a message transport system, wherein the gateway computer system is adapted to:

receive an original incoming electronic message from a standard sender message system prior to the original incoming electronic message extending into a perimeter of a recipient message system, wherein the original incoming electronic message comprises an image;

analyze the image according to a set of warning criteria to determine whether the image is potentially malicious;

remove the image from the original incoming electronic message based on the determination that the image is potentially malicious;

store the image on an image server;

add a link to the image that is placed in the original incoming electronic message to provide a modified incoming electronic message,

wherein the modified incoming electronic message is retrieved by the recipient message system, wherein the recipient message system retrieves the image from the image server according to the modified incoming electronic message and displays the image to a recipient.

14 . The electronic message system of claim 13 wherein the image is modified according to changes in an attribute associated with the modified incoming electronic message.

15 . The electronic message system of claim 13 wherein the link is modified according to changes in an attribute associated with the modified incoming electronic message.

16 . The electronic message system of claim 13 wherein the image represents an attribute of the original incoming electronic message taken from a group of graphic indicators consisting of representation that the original incoming electronic message was sent, delivered, rejected, failed, blocked, quarantined, unread, read, spam, security risk, and any combination thereof.

17 . The electronic message system of claim 13 wherein the image represents an attribute of the modified incoming electronic message taken from a group of graphic indicators consisting of representations that the modified incoming electronic message was sent, delivered, rejected, failed, blocked, quarantined, unread, read, spam, security risk, and any combination thereof.

18 . The electronic message system of claim 13 wherein the gateway computer system transmits a notification to the recipient's message system representing the modified incoming electronic message being stored in a holding area outside the perimeter of the recipient's message system.

19 . The electronic message system of claim 13 wherein the gateway computer system transmits a notification to the recipient's message system representing the original incoming electronic message being stored in a holding area of the recipient's message system.

20 . The electronic message system of claim 13 wherein the gateway computer system transmits a notification to the recipient's message system representing the modified incoming electronic message being stored in a holding area of the recipient's message system.