System and method for securely performing multiple stage email processing with embedded codes
A system and method for performing email processing at multiple stages along an email delivery chain. A first embodiment uses an email filter to receive information about an email message from a message transfer agent and then perform limited email pre-processing on the email message. The email filter then stores instructions and data such as the results from the email pre-processing into an internet email header added to the email message. The instructions and data placed into the email header may be encrypted for privacy and security. A later email program may extract the instructions and data from the internet email header and continue the email processing. One disclosed application of the multi-stage email processing system is email authentication.
1. A method comprising:
obtaining a message directed from a sender to a recipient;
determining whether authentication of the message or the sender is needed based on a category assigned to the message;
determining whether to obtain data unique to the sender based on the category and a relationship between the sender and the recipient;
associating the data with the message when obtained for presentation to the recipient within a message view before the message is viewable by the recipient;
performing multi-stage email processing by adding a new email message component comprising instructions and data to the message before the message is viewable by the recipient, wherein the instructions and data are encrypted for privacy and security and enable presentation of the data to the recipient within a message view; and
contacting an email analysis server to obtain the instructions and data, wherein the instructions and data specify how the message should be authenticated and displayed based on authentication results.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message view is a pre-view of the message within a messaging client of the recipient.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message view is a list view of the message and any other messages of the recipient within a messaging client of the recipient.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining authentication of the message further includes inspecting an extended message header of the message to obtain the category assigned to a variable.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining to obtain the data further includes inspecting the extended message header of the message for a relationship value assigned to a relationship value in view of the category.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring actions taken by the recipient within a messaging client and with respect to the message after the recipient receives the message within the messaging client.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising reporting the actions taken.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining further includes extracting message processing instructions from an extended header associated with the message and obtaining the category and the relationship from the message processing instructions.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein associating further includes obtaining a link to the data from the message processing instructions.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein obtaining the link further includes embedding the link in header data associated with the message.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein obtaining the link further includes obtaining the data through the link and embedding the data in header data associated with the message.
12. A method comprising:
receiving a message directed from a sender to a recipient;
obtaining instructions for handling the message before the recipient is able to view the message;
determining from the instructions whether the sender requires authentication and whether data unique to the sender needs to be obtained;
modifying header data associated with the message to display the data to the recipient when the recipient views the message based on the determining; and
performing multi-stage email processing by modifying header data associated with the message to include encrypted instructions and data that enable secure presentation of the data to the recipient when the recipient views the message based on the determining, wherein the encrypted instructions and data prevent unauthorized access and tampering;
wherein the instructions are obtained from an email analysis server that specifies authentication requirements and display parameters based on authentication results.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein obtaining further includes obtaining the instructions with name-value pairs.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining further includes obtaining a name-value pair from the name-value pairs and determining whether the sender requires authentication based on a category assigned to the name-value pair.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining further includes obtaining a relationship name-value pair from the name-value pairs based on the category and determining whether to obtain the data based on a relationship value assigned to the relationship name-value pair.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining further includes obtaining a link to the data from a location name-value pair that includes the link as a location value assigned to the location name-value pair.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein modifying further includes embedding a link to the data in the header data with further instructions to obtain and display the data in one or more views associated with the message when the message is accessed by the recipient.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein modifying further includes obtaining the data and embedding the data in the header data with further instructions to display the data in one or more views associated with the message when the message is accessed by the recipient.
19. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
inspect header data for a message being sent from a sender to a recipient;
determine based on name-value pairs obtained from the header data whether the message requires authentication and whether data unique to the sender needs to be obtained;
modify the header data or extended header data associated with the message to display the data to the recipient when the recipient views the message based on a name-value pairs determination; and
perform multi-stage email processing by modifying the header data or extended header data to include encrypted instructions and data that enable secure presentation of the data to the recipient when viewing the message, wherein the encrypted instructions and data prevent unauthorized access and ensure message integrity;
wherein the encrypted instructions and data are obtained from an email analysis server that specifies authentication requirements and display parameters based on authentication results.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the instructions associated with modifying the header further cause the system to modify the header with view instructions that indicate which views of the message should display the data to the recipient and how the data should be presented to the recipient within each of the views.