IP Library Granted Patent US 12,328,321
Granted Patent B2
US 12,328,321 · App. 18/413,496 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Processing external messages using a secure email relay

Inventor: Ashley Harlow Valeski (Denver, CO)
Assignee: Proofpoint, Inc.
H04L63/126H04L63/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,328,321
App. No.
18/413,496
Granted
Jun 10, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to processing external messages using a secure email relay. A computing platform may receive, from a message source server associated with a first domain, a first email message and a first set of authentication credentials. Based on validating the first set of authentication credentials, the computing platform may inject, into the first email message, a DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) signature of a second domain different from the first domain, which may produce a signed message that identifies itself as originating from the second domain. Based on scanning and validating content of the signed message, the computing platform may send the signed message to a message recipient server, which may cause the message recipient server to validate the DKIM signature of the signed message and determine that the signed message passes Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) with respect to the second domain.

Claims (39)

1. A computing platform, comprising:

at least one processor;

a communication interface; and

memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing platform to:

receive, via the communication interface, from a message source server associated with a first domain, a first email message;

inject, into the first email message, a DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) signature of a second domain different from the first domain, wherein injecting the DKIM signature of the second domain into the first email message produces a first signed message that identifies itself as originating from the second domain, wherein the first signed message is produced without modifying a Header From domain of the first email message and an Envelope From domain of the first email message;

scan content of the first signed message, wherein scanning the content of the first signed message produces first scan results;

validate the first scan results; and

based on validating the first scan results, send, via the communication interface, to a message recipient server, the first signed message, wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to validate the DKIM signature of the first signed message and determine, based on validating the DKIM signature of the first signed message, that the first signed message passes Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) with respect to the second domain.

2. The computing platform of claim 1 , wherein the first domain is a domain name corresponding to a first entity, and the first email message comprises information identifying the Envelope From domain of the first email message as the domain name corresponding to the first entity, and wherein the second domain is a domain name corresponding to a second entity different from the first entity, and the first email message comprises information identifying the Header From domain of the first email message as the domain name corresponding to the second entity.

3. The computing platform of claim 2 , wherein the second entity is an organization, and the first entity is a third-party service provider to the organization.

4. The computing platform of claim 1 , wherein scanning the content of the first signed message comprises executing an antispam-antivirus scan on the content of the first signed message.

5. The computing platform of claim 1 , wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to validate the DKIM signature of the first signed message by comparing the DKIM signature of the first signed message with a public key linked to the second domain and maintained on a domain name system (DNS) server.

6. The computing platform of claim 1 , wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to provide a recipient user with access to the first signed message based on the first signed message passing DMARC with respect to the second domain.

7. The computing platform of claim 6 , wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to provide the recipient user with access to the first signed message by adding the first signed message to a mail folder accessible to the recipient user without quarantining the message.

8. The computing platform of claim 6 , wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to provide the recipient user with access to the first signed message by sending the first signed message to a recipient user device.

9. A method, comprising:

at a computing platform comprising at least one processor, a communication interface, and memory:

receiving, by the at least one processor, via the communication interface, from a message source server associated with a first domain, a first email message;

injecting, by the at least one processor, into the first email message, a DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) signature of a second domain different from the first domain, wherein injecting the DKIM signature of the second domain into the first email message produces a first signed message that identifies itself as originating from the second domain, wherein the first signed message is produced without modifying a Header From domain of the first email message and an Envelope From domain of the first email message;

scanning, by the at least one processor, content of the first signed message, wherein scanning the content of the first signed message produces first scan results;

validating, by the at least one processor, the first scan results; and

based on validating the first scan results, sending, by the at least one processor, via the communication interface, to a message recipient server, the first signed message, wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to validate the DKIM signature of the first signed message and determine, based on validating the DKIM signature of the first signed message, that the first signed message passes Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) with respect to the second domain.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first domain is a domain name corresponding to a first entity, and the first email message comprises information identifying the Envelope From domain of the first email message as the domain name corresponding to the first entity, and wherein the second domain is a domain name corresponding to a second entity different from the first entity, and the first email message comprises information identifying the first email message's Header From domain of the first email message as the domain name corresponding to the second entity.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second entity is an organization, and the first entity is a third-party service provider to the organization.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein scanning the content of the first signed message comprises executing an antispam-antivirus scan on the content of the first signed message.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to validate the DKIM signature of the first signed message by comparing the DKIM signature of the first signed message with a public key linked to the second domain and maintained on a domain name system (DNS) server.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to provide a recipient user with access to the first signed message based on the first signed message passing DMARC with respect to the second domain.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to provide the recipient user with access to the first signed message by adding the first signed message to a mail folder accessible to the recipient user without quarantining the message.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to provide the recipient user with access to the first signed message by sending the first signed message to a recipient user device.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by a computing platform comprising at least one processor, a communication interface, and memory, cause the computing platform to:

receive, via the communication interface, from a message source server associated with a first domain, a first email message;

inject, into the first email message, a DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) signature of a second domain different from the first domain, wherein injecting the DKIM signature of the second domain into the first email message produces a first signed message that identifies itself as originating from the second domain, wherein the first signed message is produced without modifying a Header From domain of the first email message and an Envelope From domain of the first email message;

scan content of the first signed message, wherein scanning the content of the first signed message produces first scan results;

validate the first scan results; and

based on validating the first scan results, send, via the communication interface, to a message recipient server, the first signed message, wherein sending the first signed message to the message recipient server causes the message recipient server to validate the DKIM signature of the first signed message and determine, based on validating the DKIM signature of the first signed message, that the first signed message passes Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) with respect to the second domain.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the first domain is a domain name corresponding to a first entity, and the first email message comprises information identifying the Envelope From domain of the first email message as the domain name corresponding to the first entity, and wherein the second domain is a domain name corresponding to a second entity different from the first entity, and the first email message comprises information identifying the Header From domain of the first email message as the domain name corresponding to the second entity.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , wherein the second entity is an organization, and the first entity is a third-party service provider to the organization.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein scanning the content of the first signed message comprises executing an antispam-antivirus scan on the content of the first signed message.

Assignments (3)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Dec 9, 2025
From: PROOFPOINT, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073910/0027 →
SECOND LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 8, 2025
From: PROOFPOINT, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073889/0677 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2024
From: VALESKI, ASHLEY
To: PROOFPOINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 066707/0533 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17306524 · May 3, 2021
Provisional Application 63071411 · Aug 28, 2020
Related Publication 20240187421A1 · Jun 6, 2024
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