# US 2023/0053692 A1 · Electronic mail authentication and tracking in database system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0053692 A1 - Document ID: US20230053692A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/408,265 - Filed: 2021-08-20 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-20 - Assignees: salesforce.com, inc. - Applicants: Salesforce.com, Inc. - Inventors: Minhui YAN; Abhijit Bare - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230053692A1 ## CPC - H04L 51/234: for tracking messages - H04L 51/56: Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM] - H04L 51/08: Annexed information, e.g. attachments - H04L 51/42: Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes - H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload} - H04L 63/0435: {wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06)} - H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Disclosed are some implementations of systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for tracking inbound email messages in association with database records. A first electronic mail message received via a network from a first client device is processed, where the first electronic mail message has a header including a message identifier. The message identifier is obtained from the header and parsed such that an encrypted portion and one or more unencrypted portions are obtained, where a first unencrypted portion of the unencrypted portions includes an entity identifier associated with a first database record of a database. A secret key associated with the first electronic mail message is obtained and the first electronic mail message is authenticated using the secret key, the encrypted portion of the message identifier, and at least one unencrypted portion of the unencrypted portions of the message identifier. The first electronic mail message is stored in association with the first database record according to a result of authenticating the first electronic mail message. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a database system implemented using a server system including at least one hardware processor, the database system configurable to cause: processing a first electronic mail message received via a network from a first client device, the first electronic mail message having a header including a message identifier; obtaining the message identifier from the header; parsing the message identifier such that an encrypted portion and one or more unencrypted portions are obtained, a first unencrypted portion of the unencrypted portions including an entity identifier associated with a first database record of a database; obtaining a secret key associated with the first electronic mail message; authenticating the first electronic mail message using the secret key, the encrypted portion of the message identifier, and at least one unencrypted portion of the unencrypted portions of the message identifier; and storing the first electronic mail message in association with the first database record according to a result of authenticating the first electronic mail message. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the unencrypted portions further including one or more identifiers, the one or more identifiers including at least one of: an organization identifier or a key identifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, the database system further configurable to cause: obtaining the secret key associated with the first electronic mail message by retrieving the secret key using at least one of the identifiers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the database system further configurable to cause; discarding the first electronic mail message responsive to determining that the first electronic mail message is not successfully authenticated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the database system further configurable to cause: creating a second database record associated with the entity identifier; and associating the first electronic mail message with the second database record. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the database system further configurable to cause: authenticating the first electronic message by calling an application programming interface (API). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the database system further configurable to cause: ascertaining whether to perform authentication for the first electronic mail message. ### Claim 8 A method, comprising: processing a first electronic mail message received via a network from a first client device, the first electronic mail message having a header including a message identifier; obtaining the message identifier from the header; parsing the message identifier such that an encrypted portion and one or more unencrypted portions are obtained, a first unencrypted portion of the unencrypted portions including an entity identifier associated with a first database record of a database; obtaining a secret key associated with the first electronic mail message; authenticating the first electronic mail message using the secret key, the encrypted portion of the message identifier, and at least one unencrypted portion of the unencrypted portions of the message identifier; and storing the first electronic mail message in association with the first database record according to a result of authenticating the first electronic mail message. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, the unencrypted portions further including one or more identifiers, the one or more identifiers including at least one of: an organization identifier or a key identifier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: obtaining the secret key associated with the first electronic mail message by retrieving the secret key using at least one of the identifiers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: discarding the first electronic mail message responsive to determining that the first electronic mail message is not successfully authenticated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: creating a second database record associated with the entity identifier; and associating the first electronic mail message with the second database record. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: authenticating the first electronic message by calling an application programming interface (API). ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: ascertaining whether to perform authentication for the first electronic mail message. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored therein, the computer program instructions configured such that, when executed by one or more processors, the computer program instructions cause the one or more processors to: process a first electronic mail message received via a network from a first client device, the first electronic mail message having a header including a message identifier; obtain the message identifier from the header; parse the message identifier such that an encrypted portion and one or more unencrypted portions are obtained, a first unencrypted portion of the unencrypted portions including an entity identifier associated with a first database record of a database; obtain a secret key associated with the first electronic mail message; authenticate the first electronic mail message using the secret key, the encrypted portion of the message identifier, and at least one unencrypted portion of the unencrypted portions of the message identifier; and store the first electronic mail message in association with the first database record according to a result of authenticating the first electronic mail message. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, the unencrypted portions further including one or more identifiers, the one or more identifiers including at least one of: an organization identifier or a key identifier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to: obtain the secret key associated with the first electronic mail message by retrieving the secret key using at least one of the identifiers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to: discard the first electronic mail message responsive to determining that the first electronic mail message is not successfully authenticated. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to: create a second database record associated with the entity identifier; and associate the first electronic mail message with the second database record. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer program instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to: ascertain whether to perform authentication for the first electronic mail message.