Email address token integration
A system and method to facilitate transactions between a customer and a vendor is disclosed. The system and method include receiving a response email, wherein the response email includes a short lookup token associated with the transaction between a customer and a vendor; determining the long token associated with the short lookup token; decoding the long token; performing a validation of the decoded long token; and processing the transaction, on a condition that validation is approved. A system and method may also include receiving an email, the email includes a short lookup token integrated into the string of characters that compose the email address and is associated with the transaction between a customer and a vendor; determining a long token associated with the short lookup token; decoding the long token; performing a validation of the decoded long token; and processing the transaction, on a condition that validation is approved.
1. A method that utilizes Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to improve security of an e-commerce computer system, the method comprising:
receiving, by the e-commerce computer system, a request for a transaction from a third party, wherein the transaction enables a particular registered user to access a secure webpage hosted by the third party;
in response to receiving the request:
generating, by the e-commerce computer system, a short lookup token for the transaction, wherein the short lookup token identifies the particular registered user and is unique to the transaction, and
configuring, by the e-commerce computer system, a transaction email address to contain the short lookup token in a local part of the transaction email address, wherein the e-commerce computer system receives email via the transaction email address;
receiving, by the e-commerce computer system, a response email from a sender via SMTP, wherein the response email is addressed to the transaction email address;
ascertaining, by the e-commerce computer system, the particular registered user based on the short lookup token contained in the local part of the transaction email address;
authenticating, by the e-commerce computer system, the response email by determining that the response email was received from the particular registered user based on an email address of the sender of the response email; and
on a condition that the response email is successfully authenticated:
determining, by the e-commerce computer system, a long token associated with the short lookup token, wherein the long token includes additional information about the transaction not included in the short lookup token, and
causing, by the e-commerce computer system, the third party to grant access to the secure webpage by processing the transaction utilizing the additional information included in the long token.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the short lookup token is embedded in a mailto link.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein on a condition that the response email is not successfully authenticated, the sender is directed to a signup web page to complete the transaction.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the e-commerce computer system stores the short lookup token and the long token associated with the short lookup token.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a short URL link is associated with the short lookup token.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the third party generates an email message including the short URL link that is sent to the particular registered user.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the response email was received from the particular registered user includes performing an authentication of the email address of the sender using at least one of DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) or Sender Policy Framework (SPF) protocols.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the response email is received in response to activating the short URL link.
9. An e-commerce computer system that utilizes Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to improve security of an e-commerce transaction, the e-commerce computer system comprising:
a memory;
a communication interface that is communicatively coupled to a client device via a network; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the communication interface and the memory;
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive, using the communication interface, a request for a transaction from a third party, wherein the transaction enables a particular registered user to access a secure webpage hosted by the third party,
in response to receiving the request:
generate a short lookup token for the transaction, wherein the short lookup token identifies the particular registered user and is unique to the transaction; and
configure, a transaction email address to contain the short lookup token in a local part of the transaction email address, wherein the e-commerce computer system receives email via the transaction email address;
receive, using the communication interface, a response email from a sender via SMTP, wherein the response email is addressed to the transaction email address,
ascertain the particular registered user based on the short lookup token contained in the local part of the transaction email address,
authenticate the response email by determining that the response email was received from the particular registered user based on an email address of the sender of the response email, and
on a condition that the response email is successfully authenticated:
determine a long token associated with the short lookup token based on information stored in the memory, wherein the long token includes additional information about the transaction not included in the short lookup token; and
cause the third party to grant access to the secure webpage by processing the transaction utilizing the additional information included in the long token.
10. The e-commerce computer system of claim 9 , wherein the short lookup token is embedded in a mailto link.
11. The e-commerce computer system of claim 9 , wherein on a condition that the response email is not successfully authenticated, the sender is directed to a signup web page to complete the transaction.
12. The e-commerce computer system of claim 9 , wherein the memory further stores the short lookup token and the long token associated with the short lookup token.
13. The e-commerce computer system of claim 9 , wherein a short URL link is associated with the short lookup token.
14. The e-commerce computer system of claim 13 , wherein the third party generates an email message including the short URL link that is sent to the particular registered user.
15. The e-commerce computer system of claim 9 , wherein the determining that the response email was received from the particular registered user includes performing an authentication of the email address of the sender using at least one of DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) or Sender Policy Framework (SPF) protocols.
16. The e-commerce computer system of claim 13 , wherein the response email is received in response to activating the short URL link.
17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores instructions for utilizing Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to improve security of an e-commerce computer system, the instructions when executed by a processor of the e-commerce computer system cause the processor to execute a method, the method comprising:
receiving a request for a transaction from a third party, wherein the transaction enables a particular registered user to access a secure webpage hosted by the third party;
in response to receiving the request:
generating a short lookup token for the transaction, wherein the short lookup token identifies the particular registered user and is unique to the transaction, and
configuring a transaction email address to contain the short lookup token in a local part of the transaction email address, wherein the e-commerce computer system receives email via the transaction email address;
receiving a response email from a sender via SMTP, wherein the response email is addressed to the transaction email address;
ascertaining the particular registered user based on the short lookup token contained in the local part of the transaction email address;
authenticating the response email by determining that the response email was received from the particular registered user based on an email address of the sender of the response email; and
on a condition that the response email is successfully authenticated:
determining a long token associated with the short lookup token, wherein the long token includes additional information about the transaction not included in the short lookup token, and
causing, by the e-commerce computer system, the third party to grant access to the secure webpage by processing the transaction utilizing the additional information included in the long token.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the determining that the response email was received from the particular registered user includes performing an authentication of the email address of the sender using at least one of DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) or Sender Policy Framework (SPF) protocols.