Method and system for authenticating a message sender using domain keys

A server for message authentication, comprising:

• a memory for storing instructions;
• a processor for enabling actions based on the stored instructions, including:
• generating a key pair associated with a domain, wherein a public component of the key pair is accessible to a domain name system (DNS) server that is associated with the domain;
• if a message originates from a sender's address associated with the domain, employing a private component of the key pair to digitally sign the message and forwarding the digitally signed message towards a recipient of the message;
• and
• if the public component stored with the DNS server verifies that the digitally signed message originated from the domain associated with the sender's address, employing at least one policy to handle the verified digitally signed message for the recipient.

A client for message authentication, comprising:

• a memory for storing instructions;
• a processor for enabling actions based on the stored instructions, including:
• generating a key pair associated with a domain, wherein a public component of the key pair is accessible to a domain name system (DNS) server that is associated with the domain;
• if a message originates from a sender's address associated with the domain, employing a private component of the key pair to digitally sign the message and forwarding the digitally signed message towards a recipient of the message;
• and
• if the public component stored with the DNS server verifies that the digitally signed message originated from the domain associated with the sender's address, employing at least one policy to handle the verified digitally signed message for the recipient.

A carrier wave signal that includes instructions for performing actions, comprising:

• generating a key pair associated with a domain, wherein a public component of the key pair is accessible to a domain name system (DNS) server that is associated with the domain;
• if a message originates from a sender's address associated with the domain, employing a private component of the key pair to digitally sign the message and forwarding the digitally signed message towards a recipient of the message;
• and
• if the public component stored with the DNS server verifies that the digitally signed message originated from the domain associated with the sender's address, employing at least one policy to handle the verified digitally signed message for the recipient.

An apparatus for message authentication, comprising:

• a means for generating a key pair associated with a domain, wherein a public component of the key pair is accessible to a domain name system (DNS) server that is associated with the domain;
• a means for employing a private component of the key pair to digitally sign the message and forwarding the digitally signed message towards a recipient of the message if a message originates from a sender's address associated with the domain;
• and
• a means for employing at least one policy to handle the verified digitally signed message for the recipient if the public component stored with the DNS server verifies that the digitally signed message originated from the domain associated with the sender's address.