초록 ▼

In a system and method and system for controlling delivery of unsolicited electronic mail messages, one or more spam probe e-mail addresses are created and planted at various sites on the communications network in order to insure their inclusion on large-scale electronic junk mail ("spam") mailing l

In a system and method and system for controlling delivery of unsolicited electronic mail messages, one or more spam probe e-mail addresses are created and planted at various sites on the communications network in order to insure their inclusion on large-scale electronic junk mail ("spam") mailing lists. The mailboxes corresponding to the spam probe e-mail addresses are monitored for incoming mail by a spam control center. Upon receipt of incoming mail addressed to the spam probe addresses, the spam control center automatically analyzes the received spam e-mail to identify the source of the message, extracts the spam source data from the message, and generates an alert signal containing the spam source data. This alert signal is broadcast to all network servers and/or all user terminals within the communications network. A filtering system implemented at the servers and/or user terminals receives the alert signal, updates stored filtering data using the spam source data retrieved from the alert signal, and controls delivery of subsequently-received e-mail messages received from the identified spam source. The filtering system controls delivery of the unsolicited e-mail messages by discarding the messages without displaying them to the user, displaying the messages to the user with a "JUNK" or similar marker, or otherwise processing the spam mail as desired by the network provider and/or the network users. The filtering system may also filter e-mail messages sent by the user terminals.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A system for controlling delivery of unsolicited electronic mail, comprising:a communications network;a plurality of user terminals coupled to said communications network, each of said plurality of user terminals having a unique e-mail address, wherein each of said plurality of user

[ I claim:] [1.] A system for controlling delivery of unsolicited electronic mail, comprising:a communications network;a plurality of user terminals coupled to said communications network, each of said plurality of user terminals having a unique e-mail address, wherein each of said plurality of user terminals comprises a filtering application for receiving incoming electronic mail messages addressed to said unique e-mail address of said user terminal and filtering said incoming electronic mail messages based upon stored filtering data; anda control center, comprisinga distributor for generating a probe address and transmitting said probe address to at least one site on said communications network, wherein said probe address is different from each of said unique email addresses of each of said plurality of user terminals,a processor for receiving electronic mail messages addressed to said probe address, and for extracting source data from said received electronic mail messages, anda database update signal generator coupled to said processor for generating and transmitting a database update signal incorporating said extracted source data;wherein each of said plurality of user terminals receives said database update signal from said control center, updates said stored filtering data in response to said database update signal, and filters electronic mail messages received by said user terminal in accordance with said updated filtering data.