Method and apparatus for web-based secure email

摘要

An end-to-end secure web-based email system is disclosed. The system uses a non-transient cryptographic engine and a web browser on the client side, which communicates with a server from the service provider. The server provides standard web-based email functions, whereas the non-transient cryptographic engine provides security functions including encryption, decryption, signature addition and verification. The non-transient cryptographic engine works with the web browser on the client side where the web browser acts as the user interface to the non-transient cryptographic engine. The non-transient cryptographic engine also provides a range of key management functions on the client side. The system is end-to-end secure because all the security functions are executed on the client side. The system has a graceful degradation property in that if a user does not carry the non-transient cryptographic engine, the user can still send and receive normal unsecured email service.