Communications addressing system

An improved address of the type having a hierarchy of names including a lowest-level name at the lowest level of the hierarchy, the improved address comprising a channel identifier part of the lowest-level name that includes at least a substantially unguessable channel identifier.

A system for authenticating a received message from a network, the message having an address attached to it, comprising:

• a mail server for receiving and authenticating the message;
• and
• a file available to the mail server for determining whether the message is an authorized message, wherein the determination is based upon a substantially unguessable portion of the address attached to the message.

A system for sending a message on a network to a recipient, comprising:

• a personal channel agent for automatically including a substantially unguessable portion in a recipient's address so that the recipient can determine whether the message is an authorized message that the recipient will receive.

A method of sending and receiving messages from one or more first correspondents to a second correspondent comprising the steps performed in a message transmission apparatus of:

• the second correspondent forming a plurality of substantially unguessable extended addresses for messages sent from the one or more first correspondents to the second correspondent;
• and
• providing a received message to the second correspondent only if an address to the second correspondent associated with the received message matches one of the plurality of extended addresses.