Inventors:
Paul Clegg - Pacifica CA, US
Eric Huss - San Francisco CA, US
Craig Sprosts - San Francisco CA, US
Krishna Srinivasan - San Bruno CA, US
Peter Schlampp - San Francisco CA, US
Shun Chen - Union City CA, US
Robert Brahms - San Ramon CA, US
Daniel Quinlan - San Bruno CA, US
International Classification:
G06F 15/16
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for managing connections, email messages, and directory harvest attacks at a server is disclosed. The server maintains a count of a parameter and compares the count to a specified maximum value, such that when the specified maximum value is met or exceeded, an action is taken by the server to limit the connections, email messages, or directory harvest attack. Actions include controlling the number of connections to the server from senders, controlling the flow of email messages injected to the server by senders, and controlling when rejection response messages are sent for invalid recipient email addresses to thwart a directory harvest attack. Senders are identified by one or more sender identifiers, which can be used to group senders together so that the same maximum value is applied collectively to all senders in the group.