System and method for securely performing multiple stage email processing with embedded codes

摘要

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.

主权项

1. A multi-stage method of processing email messages, said method comprising:
receiving in a mail processing application, a set of information about an email message from a mail transfer agent, the mail processing application associated with an incoming mail server where the email message is being received by a recipient associated with that incoming mail server; performing at least one processing step on said email message, said processing step generating instructions and data for a later stage mail program to process; adding a new email message component to said email message, said new email message component comprising said instructions and data for said later stage mail program to process; placing the new email component is a new email message header with the instructions as executable scripts with the data for processing by the later stage mail program, the instructions and the data included in the new email message header and include display directives that describes how results of an email authentication are to be presented on a display screen of the recipient, and the executable scripts are light-weight application programs, wherein the new email message header is the new email component that is added to email message, wherein the email message includes at least one additional email header already associated with the email message; and returning said email message to said mail transfer agent for delivery to a next recipient that is a next processing entity, the next processing entity using the instructions and the data to perform additional processing on the email message, and the data includes values for at least an Internet address for an icon that is to be displayed with the email message and the said email message processed by multiple next recipients.