System, method and computer readable medium for processing unsolicited electronic mail

摘要

An internet service provider (ISP) is configured to analyze a subscriber's sent e-mail packets to determine a subscriber identity associated with the e-mail packets. A database is then queried to determine a current sending rate of e-mails by the subscriber. A sending rate above an allowed threshold causes the upstream transmission of the e-mail packets to be blocked by injecting connection destroying packets. A subscriber remains blocked from upstream transmission of e-mails until the sending rate as determined by the ISP drops below a second, more stringent threshold. This automatic process is also accompanied by automated messaging to the subscriber with information as to the measures taken and remedial options.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
preventing transmission of an electronic mail message from a point on a transmission path, wherein a sending rate profile indicates whether the subscriber is currently blocked from transmitting electronic mail messages based on determining whether the subscriber has attempted to transmit a predefined number of email messages over a predefined period of time; determining, via the sending rate profile, whether the subscriber is exceeding at least one threshold applied to the sending rate profile every time said any identified electronic mail message is received from the subscriber; identifying an e-mail packet and determining an upstream transmission of the e-mail message is to be blocked; analyzing the e-mail packet to retrieve an IP address of the e-mail packet and executing a query on a database to retrieve a subscriber identity associated with the IP address and to retrieve the subscriber's sending rate profile; and blocking the subscriber from sending electronic mail messages by injecting a blocking packet into an electronic mail data stream, which stops the electronic mail messages from being sent, the blocking packet mimicking a subscriber packet by including at least one of a peer, port, and sequence numbering.