System for retrieval of email certificates from remote certificate repository

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving an email request from a client device, wherein the email request is intended for an email server and includes a request for an email recipient's certificate;

obtaining a compliance status of the client device; and

in response to the client device being compliant, performing the steps of:

modifying the email request by removing the request for the email recipient's certificate from the email request;

sending the modified email request to the email server;

receiving a first response from the email server containing email information;

obtaining the recipient's certificate from a certificate repository, the certificate repository being implemented in a server separate from a certificate repository maintained by the email server;

generating a second response by combining the obtained recipient's certificate with the received first response; and

sending the second response to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recipient's certificate comprises an Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) certificate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the certificate repository is maintained by a certificate server separate from the email server.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the client device being non-compliant, causing a notification to be sent to the client device indicating that the email request has been denied.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the client device being non-compliant, causing an email certificate associated with the client device to be revoked.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

causing the client device to return to a state of compliance; and

in response to the client returning to a state of compliance, causing a certificate authority to issue a new email certificate associated with the client device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying an indication of an email recipient identity specified by the client device;

in response to receiving the email recipient, causing an email certificate associated with the client device to be revoked;

causing the revoked email certificate to be stored in the client device; and

causing a certificate authority to issue a new email certificate associated with the client device.

8. A system comprising:

at least one computing device; and

a gateway service executed by the at least one computing device, the gateway service causing the at least one computing device to at least:

receive an email request from a client device, wherein the email request is intended for an email server and includes a request for an email recipient's certificate;

obtain a compliance status of the client device; and

in response to the client device being compliant, performing the steps of:

modifying the email request by removing the request for the email recipient's certificate from the email request;

sending the modified email request to the email server;

receiving a first response from the email server containing email information;

obtaining the recipient's certificate from a certificate repository, the certificate repository being implemented in a server separate from a certificate repository maintained by the email server;

generating a second response by combining the obtained recipient's certificate with the received first response; and

sending the second response to the client device.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the recipient's certificate comprises an Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) certificate.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the certificate repository is maintained by a server separate from the email server.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the gateway service further causes the at least one computing device to:

in response to the client device being non-compliant, cause a notification to be sent to the client device indicating that the email request has been denied.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the gateway service further causes the at least one computing device to:

in response to the client device being non-compliant, cause an email certificate associated with the client device to be revoked.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the gateway service further causes the at least one computing device to:

cause the client device to return to a state of compliance; and

in response to the client returning to a state of compliance, cause a certificate authority to issue a new email certificate associated with the client device.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the gateway service further causes the at least one computing device to:

identify an indication of an email recipient identity specified by the client device;

in response to receiving the email recipient, cause an email certificate associated with the client device to be revoked;

cause the revoked email certificate to be stored in the client device; and

cause a certificate authority to issue a new email certificate associated with the client device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of computer instructions executable by a computing device, wherein the plurality of computer instructions cause the computing device to at least:

receive an email request from a client device, wherein the email request is intended for an email server and includes a request for an email recipient's certificate;

obtain a compliance status of the client device; and

in response to the client device being compliant, performing the steps of:

modifying the email request by removing the request for the email recipient's certificate from the email request;

sending the modified email request to the email server;

receiving a first response from the email server containing email information;

obtaining the recipient's certificate from a certificate repository, the certificate repository being implemented in a server separate from a certificate repository maintained by the email server;

generating a second response by combining the obtained recipient's certificate with the received first response; and

sending the second response to the client device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the certificate repository is maintained by a server separate from the email server.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of computer instructions cause the computing device to:

in response to the client device being non-compliant, cause a notification to be sent to the client device indicating that the email request has been denied.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of computer instructions cause the computing device to:

in response to the client device being non-compliant, cause an email certificate associated with the client device to be revoked.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of computer instructions cause the computing device to:

cause the client device to return to a state of compliance; and

in response to the client returning to a state of compliance, cause a certificate authority to issue a new email certificate associated with the client device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of computer instructions cause the computing device to:

identify an indication of an email recipient identity specified by the client device;

in response to receiving the email recipient, cause an email certificate associated with the client device to be revoked;

cause the revoked email certificate to be stored in the client device; and

cause a certificate authority to issue a new email certificate associated with the client device.