Smart card device and method used for transmitting and receiving secure e-mails

摘要

A system and method for transmitting and receiving secure e-mails is disclosed. A smart card device stores both private and public keys for an encryption algorithm. The smart card device is preferably a USB smart card device and interfaces a host having a client e-mail program. E-mails are transferred to and/or from the client e-mail program and e-mail server via the smart card while decrypting and encrypting any transmitted and/or received e-mails within the smart card device. The smart card device stores an IP address for an e-mail server. A Simple Mail Transfer Protocol outgoing parameter is set from the client e-mail program to an IP address for the smart card device.