Method and apparatus for authenticating electronic mail

A machine-readable medium embodying a sequence of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine execute a method of authenticating an electronic mail, the method including:

• parsing a “received” field of a header of the electronic mail to identify actual domain name data included in the header at a server receiving the electronic mail from a mail client;
• parsing the header to obtain purported sender data included in the header of the electronic mail;
• comparing the actual domain name data and purported sender data;
• generating an authenticity indicator in response to the investigation, the authenticity indicator providing an indication of the likelihood that the electronic mail was sent from a purported sender of the electronic mail;
• and
• presenting the authenticity indicator to the recipient of the electronic mail.

A mail server for authenticating electronic mail communicated between the mail server and at least one client device, the mail server including:

• a communication interface for communicating with the at least one client device;
• a processor;
• and
• memory which includes a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• parse a “received” field of a header of the electronic mail to identify actual domain name data included in the header at a server receiving the electronic mail from a mail client;
• parse the header to obtain purported sender data included in the header of the electronic mail;
• compare the actual domain name data and purported sender data;
• and
• generate an authenticity indicator in response to the comparison, the authenticity indicator being presentable to a recipient of the electronic mail to provide an indication of the likelihood that the electronic mail was sent from a purported sender of the electronic mail.

A mail server for authenticating electronic mail communicated between the mail server and at least one client device, the mail server including:

• means communication interface for communicating with the at least one client device;
• processor means;
• and
• means to store a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor means to:
• parse a “received” field of a header of the electronic mail to identify actual domain name data included in the header at a server receiving the electronic mail from a mail client;
• parse the header to obtain purported sender data included in the header of the electronic mail;
• compare the actual domain name data and purported sender data;
• and
• generate an authenticity indicator in response to the comparison, the authenticity indicator being presentable to a recipient of the electronic mail to provide an indication of the likelihood that the electronic mail was sent from a purported sender of the electronic mail.