The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 07, 2010
Filed:
May. 27, 2005
Paul J. Clegg, Pacifica, CA (US);
Eric C. Huss, San Francisco, CA (US);
Craig Sprosts, San Francisco, CA (US);
Krishna Srinivasan, San Bruno, CA (US);
Peter Schlampp, San Francisco, CA (US);
Shun Chen, Union City, CA (US);
Robert Brahms, San Ramon, CA (US);
Daniel Quinlan, San Bruno, CA (US);
Paul J. Clegg, Pacifica, CA (US);
Eric C. Huss, San Francisco, CA (US);
Craig Sprosts, San Francisco, CA (US);
Krishna Srinivasan, San Bruno, CA (US);
Peter Schlampp, San Francisco, CA (US);
Shun Chen, Union City, CA (US);
Robert Brahms, San Ramon, CA (US);
Daniel Quinlan, San Bruno, CA (US);
Ironport Systems, Inc., San Bruno, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for managing connections, email messages, and directory harvest attacks at a server is disclosed. The server maintains a count of a parameter and compares the count to a specified maximum value, such that when the specified maximum value is met or exceeded, an action is taken by the server to limit the connections, email messages, or directory harvest attack. Actions include controlling the number of connections to the server from senders, controlling the flow of email messages injected to the server by senders, and controlling when rejection response messages are sent for invalid recipient email addresses to thwart a directory harvest attack. Senders are identified by one or more sender identifiers, which can be used to group senders together so that the same maximum value is applied collectively to all senders in the group.