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Method, apparatus, and program to forward and verify multiple digital signatures in electronic mail

Method, apparatus, and program to forward and verify multiple digital signatures in electronic mail description/claims

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to network data processing systems and, in particular, to electronic mail. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method, apparatus, and program for verifying multiple digital signatures in mail forwarding.

2. Description of Related Art

With the increasing popularity of computers, paper transactions are gradually being replaced by digital formats, such as e-mail and electronic data interchange (EDI). While the legal framework to establish and support the validity of digital transactions are evolving, it is clear that digital signatures will play a pivotal role, especially in the area of non-repudiation in the near future. Therefore, it is essential that important documents are digitally signed for them to support the framework alluded to above.

In this context, e-mail plays a pivotal role in communications, both in the corporate and noncorporate worlds. Since the content of e-mail can evoke a range of actions, such as litigation, it is important to assign responsibility and the non-repudiation properties to e-mail transmissions. Furthermore, with the spread of viruses and spyware through electronic transmissions, improved security and accountability is needed. Under current implementations, an e-mail message typically bears the digital signature of the sender. However, in the case of forwarded e-mail, there is no way to attach easily enforceable non-repudiation properties and responsibilities to the chain of recipients. In essence, the sender becomes responsible for the entire content in case of disputes under the current implementations. This implies that the sender has to always peruse through the entire chain before forwarding an e-mail message. This may be time consuming.

Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a mechanism for the insertion and retention of multiple digital signatures corresponding to contributing authors in forwarded e-mail.

The present invention provides a mechanism for augmenting the mail header of a message with a list of digital signatures representing the chain of contributors to the message. The augmented header may also encode the actual contributions corresponding to each digital signature. For example, when a user forwards a message and makes a contribution, the beginning bytes and length of the contribution may be associated with that user's digital signature in the header. Similarly, an attachment filename may be associated with a user that attaches a file in a forwarded message. The list is appended every time a message is forwarded. If a message has a portion with no corresponding digital signature or if one or more of the digital signatures is not trusted, the user may handle the message accordingly. For example, a user may choose to delete a message without opening if a file is attached by an untrusted user. Furthermore, a mail server or client may discard a message if the number of digital signatures exceeds a threshold to filter out unwanted messages, such as e-mail chain letters.

The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a pictorial representation of a network of data processing systems in which the present invention may be implemented;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a data processing system that may be implemented as a server in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are pictorial representations of example network data processing systems in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a mail client sending a message in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a mail client sending a message in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart depicting the operation of a mail client receiving a message in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a process for filtering out unwanted messages in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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