Method and apparatus for authenticating electronic communication

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 communication, the method including:

• parsing a “received” field of a header of the electronic communication to identify actual domain name data included in the header at a server receiving the electronic communication from a communication client;
• parsing the header to obtain purported sender data included in the header of the electronic communication;
• interrogating a Domain Name Server (DNS) with the actual domain name data to obtain an associated IP address of an actual domain name;
• comparing the actual domain name data and purported sender data;
• and
• generating in response to the investigation an authenticity indicator, to provide a recipient of the electronic communication with an indication of the likelihood that the electronic communication was sent from a purported sender of the electronic communication.

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

• a memory which includes a set of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
• parse a “received” field of a header of the electronic communication to identify actual domain name data included in the header at a server receiving the electronic communication from a communication client;
• parse the header to obtain purported sender data included in the header of the electronic communication;
• interrogate a Domain Name Server (DNS) with the actual domain name data to obtain an associated IP address of an actual domain name;
• compare the actual domain name data and purported sender data;
• and
• generate in response to the comparison an authenticity indicator, to provide a recipient of the electronic communication with an indication of the likelihood that the electronic communication was sent from a purported sender of the electronic communication.