Email verification

Method for verifying an email-address utilized by a client device, the method being performed by the client device and comprising:

• sending a request for verifying the identity of the email-address to a server;
• receiving a verification email message comprising a public key, PubK1-S, of a first asymmetric key pair, KP1-S, of the server which was generated in response to the request for verifying the identity of the email-address, wherein the verification email message is received by the email-address to be verified, wherein the verification email message is signed using a private key, PrivK2-S, of a second asymmetric key pair, KP2-S, of the server;
• calculating a verification token, VN-2, based on a private key, PrivK-C, of an asymmetric key pair, KP-C, of the client device and the public key PubK1-S received in the verification email message;
• transmitting the verification token VN-2 to the server.

A server for verifying an identity of an email-address utilized by a client device, the server adapted to:

• receive a request for verifying the identity of the email-address;
• in response to receiving the request for verifying the identity of the email-address, generate a first asymmetric key pair, KP1-S, comprising a private key, PrivK1-S, and a public key, PubK1-S;
• calculate a first verification token, VN-1, based on the private key, PrivK1-S, of KP1-S and a known public key, PubK-C, of an asymmetric key pair, KP-C, of the client device;
• transmit a verification email message to the email-address to be verified comprising the public key, PubK1-S, of KP1-S, wherein the server signs the verification email message using a private key, PrivK2-S, of a second asymmetric key pair, KP2-S, of the server;
• receive a response to the verification email message including a second verification token, VN-2, calculated by the client device based on a private key, PrivK-C, of KP-C and the public key, PubK1-S, transmitted in the verification email message, wherein the server verifies the response using the known public key PubK-C;
• verify the identity of the email-address by verifying that VN-2 is identical to VN-1.

A client device for verifying an identity of an email-address utilized by the client device, adapted to:

• send a request for verifying the identity of the email-address to a server;
• receive a verification email message comprising a public key, PubK1-S, of a first asymmetric key pair, KP1-S, of the server which was generated in response to the request for verifying the identity of the email-address, wherein the verification email message was transmitted to the email-address to be verified, wherein the verification email message is signed using a private key, PrivK2-S, of a second asymmetric key pair, KP2-S, of the server;
• calculate a verification token, VN-2, based on a private key, PrivK-C, of an asymmetric key pair, KP-C, of the client device and the public key PubK1-S received in the verification email message;
• transmit the verification token VN-2 to the server.

Method for verifying an identity of an email-address utilized by a client device, comprising:

• receiving, at a server, a request for verifying the identity of the email-address;
• in response to receiving the request for verifying the identity of the email-address, generating, at the server, a first asymmetric key pair, KP1-S, comprising a private key, PrivK1-S, and a public key, PubK1-S,
• calculating, at the server, a first verification token, VN-1, based on the private key, PrivK1-S, of KP1-S and a known public key, PubK-C, of an asymmetric key pair, KP-C, of the client device;
• transmitting, from the server to the email-address to be verified, a verification email message comprising the public key, PubK1-S, of KP1-S, wherein the server signs the verification email message using a private key, PrivK2-S, of a second asymmetric key pair, KP2-S, of the server;
• receiving, at the client device, the verification email message;
• calculating, at the client device, a second verification token, VN-2, based on a private key, PrivK-C, of the key pair KP-C and the public key PubK1-S received in the verification email message;
• transmitting, from the client device to the server, the verification token VN-2;
• verifying, at the server, the identity of the email-address by verifying that VN-2 is identical to VN-1.

System for verifying an identity of an email-address utilized by a client device, the system comprising the client device and being adapted to:

• receive, at the server, a request for verifying the identity of the email-address;
• in response to receiving the request for verifying the identity of the email-address, generate, at the server, a first asymmetric key pair, KP1-S, comprising a private key, PrivK1-S, and a public key, PubK1-S,
• calculate, at the server, a first verification token, VN-1, based on the private key, PrivK1-S, of KP1-S and a known public key, PubK-C, of an asymmetric key pair, KP-C, of the client device;
• transmit, from the server to the email-address to be verified, a verification email message comprising the public key, PubK1-S, of KP1-S, wherein the server signs the verification email message using a private key, PrivK2-S, of a second asymmetric key pair, KP2-S, of the server;
• receive, at the client device, the verification email message;
• calculate, at the client device, a second verification token, VN-2, based on a private key, PrivK-C, of the key pair KP-C and the public key PubK1-S received in the verification email message;
• transmit, from the client device to the server, the verification token VN-2;
• verify, at the server, the identity of the email-address by verifying that VN-2 is identical to VN-1.

Computer program product for verifying an identity of an email-address utilized by a client device, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;
• and
• program code stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that, when executed by one or more server processors, causes the one or more server processors to:
• receive a request for verifying the identity of the email-address;
• in response to receiving the request for verifying the identity of the email-address, generate a first asymmetric key pair, KP1-S, comprising a private key, PrivK1-S, and a public key, PubK1-S;
• calculate a first verification token, VN-1, based on the private key, PrivK1-S, of KP1-S and a known public key, PubK-C, of an asymmetric key pair, KP-C, of the client device;
• transmit a verification email message to the email-address to be verified comprising the public key, PubK1-S, of KP1-S, wherein verification email message is signed using a private key, PrivK2-S, of a second asymmetric key pair, KP2-S, of the server;
• receive a response to the verification email message including a second verification token, VN-2, calculated by the client device based on the private key, PrivK-C, of KP-C and the public key, PubK1-S, transmitted in the verification email message;
• verify the identity of the email-address by verifying that VN-2 is identical to VN-1.

Computer program product for verifying an identity of an email-address utilized by a client device, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;
• and
• program code stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that, when executed by one or more client processors, causes the one or more client processors to:
• sending a request for verifying the identity of the email-address to a server;
• receive a verification email message comprising a public key, PubK1-S, of a first asymmetric key pair, KP1-S, of the server which was generated in response to the request for verifying the identity of the email-address, wherein the verification email message is received by the email-address to be verified, wherein the verification email message is signed using a private key, PrivK2-S, of a second asymmetric key pair, KP2-S, of the server;
• calculate a verification token, VN-2, based on a private key, PrivK-C, of an asymmetric key pair, KP-C, of the client device and the public key PubK1-S received in the verification email message;
• transmit the verification token VN-2 to the server.