System and method for distinguishing authentic and malicious electronic messages

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• a first computer generating an electronic message, wherein the first computer hosts an online software application accessible by a computer of an end user over a first network that has an account associated with the online software application;
• the first computer, by the online software application, generating confirmation data associated with the electronic message, the confirmation data having a hybrid data structure comprising a randomly generated number and a pre-determined data for identifying the online software application hosted on the first computer;
• the first computer, by the online software application, transmitting electronic message data and the confirmation data through a second network to a second computer different from the first computer, the second computer hosting an activity log in which computer events involving the account of the end user are recorded;
• and
• the first computer transmitting the electronic message including the confirmation data through the first network to the end user computer to enable a confirmation that a source of the electronic message was the online software application and that the electronic message is not a fraudulent phishing electronic message.

A networked anti-phishing computing system, comprising:

• a first computer hosing an online software application and being in communication with a computer of an end user having an account associated with the online software application through a first network;
• and
• a second computer hosting an activity log and being in communication with the first computer through at least one network;
• the first computer being configured or programmed to generate an electronic message and confirmation data associated with the electronic message, the confirmation data having a hybrid data structure comprising a randomly generated number and a pre-determined data for identifying the online software application hosted on the first computer,
• transmit electronic message data and the confirmation data through a second network to a second computer different from the first computer, the second computer being configured to update an activity log associated with the end user's account to record the electronic message data and the confirmation data linked to the electronic message data associated with the online software application hosted on the first computer, and
• the first computer being further configured or programmed to transmit the electronic message including the confirmation data through the first network to the end user computer to enable a confirmation that a source of the electronic message was the online software application and that the electronic message is not a fraudulent phishing electronic message.