Message Handling System for Secure and Timely Delivery

A well-designed Message Handling System is crucial for secure and timely delivery of messages. This system helps prevent message loss, duplication, and unauthorized access.

For instance, a study on message handling systems found that 70% of organizations experience message loss due to inadequate system design. This highlights the importance of a robust message handling system.

To ensure secure delivery, message handling systems employ various security measures, such as encryption and access controls. These measures protect messages from interception and unauthorized access during transmission.

A key feature of a secure message handling system is the use of digital signatures, which verify the authenticity and integrity of messages. This ensures that messages are not tampered with or altered during transmission.

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The Message Handling System (MHS) has some amazing features that make it a reliable and efficient way to send and receive messages. One of the key features is the ability to send files through the AMHS Basic and Extended services, which includes file transfer body parts (attachments).

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The user agent supports multiple message formats, including AFTN, AMHS, and Internet email. This means you can send messages in different formats and they'll be converted automatically.

M-Switch provides a military distribution list capability that allows you to send messages to multiple organizations with ease. This feature includes action and information recipients, policy-based message submitters and priority mappings, control of attachments and maximum message size.

The system also supports two specialized list mechanisms: AIGs (Address Indicating Groups) and CADs (Collective Address Designators). These lists are similar, with AIGs distinguishing action and information recipients.

Here are some key features of the MHS:

The Message Handling System (MH) is designed with the Unix philosophy in mind, which emphasizes simplicity and modularity.

This design approach is reflected in the system's composition of separate programs, each with a specific function, such as show to view a message, scan to see message titles, and rmm to remove messages.

The pick program allows users to select messages based on criteria like sender, which the other programs can then act on.

To facilitate communication between these separate programs, information like the currently selected mail is stored in files, specifically in an .mh_sequences file within the user's MH directory tree.

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The design of MH is rooted in the Unix philosophy, which emphasizes simplicity and modularity. This philosophy is reflected in the use of separate programs for different tasks, such as viewing messages, scanning titles, and removing messages.

Each program is designed to run independently, allowing for flexibility and customization. For example, the pick program enables users to select messages based on criteria like sender.

The separate nature of these programs requires special arrangements for communication between them. To facilitate this, information is stored in files, such as the .mh_sequences file in the user's MH directory tree.

This approach allows for efficient management of mail and enables users to work with their messages in a structured way.

The components of a message are crucial for effective communication. An X.400 message has two main components: the envelope and its content.

The envelope contains addressing information, including the address of the originator and recipient, the delivery priority, and message trace information. It's formatted using the P1 protocol.

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The content of an X.400 message is made up of one or more body parts, along with header information. The body parts contain the actual message, which can include text, graphics, voice, or other kinds of data.

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The header fields contain information such as the message originator, recipients, and expiration time, which is useful for tracing messages and troubleshooting.

The performance of a Message Handling System (MHS) can be significantly affected by the file system and operating system it runs on. For example, MH, a popular MHS, can be slow when dealing with large directories and files.

In contrast, mailbox formats like mbox can be slow when inserting or removing data in the middle of a file. However, MH can be faster in these cases.

The maildir storage format, used by qmail and Courier Mail Server, improves performance by using a separate file per message and exploiting advanced filesystem features.

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When it comes to security, S/MIME is a widely used standard for message security. Isode's local MMHS system, for instance, uses S/MIME for message signing, header signing, and encryption, including Triple Wrap.

The local MMHS system also uses modern open standards and protocols that can be protected with TLS (Transport Layer Security), providing an additional layer of security for protecting connections.

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Message security is a top priority for any organization, and the Automated Message Handling System (AMHS) takes it very seriously. It supports DoD and Intelligence Community (IC) security marking requirements.

The AMHS system uses multiple layers of security and privacy protection, accredited to meet ICD-503. This ensures that sensitive information is protected from unauthorized access.

One of the key features of AMHS is its use of S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) for message security. This standard provides message signing, header signing, and encryption, including Triple Wrap.

Harrier, a part of the MMHS system, can handle S/MIME, including message signing, header signing, and message encryption. This provides an additional layer of security for messages.

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The local MMHS system uses modern open standards and Isode protocols, which can all be protected with TLS (Transport Layer Security). This is seen as important protection for an MMHS solution.

Here are some of the key message security features of the AMHS system:

The performance of a mail handling system like MH is heavily dependent on the file system and other operating system features it runs on.

MH can be slower than other mail formats when dealing with large directories because it requires a separate program to read each message, a directory scan, and a file open before accessing the data.

In contrast, mailbox formats like mbox use a single file, which can be slow when inserting or removing data in the middle of the file.

The maildir storage format, popularized by qmail and Courier Mail Server, improves upon MH's features with separate files per message and directories per mail folder.

This design takes advantage of hardlinks and other advanced filesystem features to boost performance in both space and time.

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Telos AMHS routes incoming messages to the right desktop and creates an archive of all arriving traffic for future reference. This ensures that users get all the messages relevant to their activities, and none that aren't.

With the Automated Message Handling System, users can quickly search millions of messages in their organization's message databases, including attachments. This supports changing message requirements and helps users find the information they need.

The system also provides comprehensive auditing capabilities with a full audit trail, protecting against unauthorized access and ensuring accountability.

Telos AMHS ensures that the right person gets the right message at the right time. It routes incoming messages to the right desktop, creating an archive of all arriving traffic for future reference.

This means that users can quickly find the information they need, without having to sift through irrelevant messages. With AMHS, you can focus on your primary tasks, knowing that your messages are being handled efficiently.

AMHS also provides comprehensive auditing capabilities, with a full audit trail to protect against unauthorized access. This gives you peace of mind, knowing that your messages are secure.

Content-based message routing allows AMHS to deliver messages to the right user, based on the content of the message, not just the recipient's name. This ensures that users get all the messages relevant to their activities, and none that aren't.

With AMHS, you can easily search millions of messages in your organization's message databases, including attachments, to support changing message requirements. This saves you time and effort, and helps you stay on top of your work.

Message Transfer is a critical aspect of secure organizational messaging. Telos AMHS routes incoming messages to the right desktop and creates an archive of all arriving traffic for future reference.

The Automated Message Handling System (AMHS) uses content-based message routing to ensure that users get all the messages relevant to their activities, and none that aren't. This is achieved by routing messages by content, independently or in conjunction with the organizational recipient's LDAP display name.

Telos AMHS supports Organizational Messaging Service (OMS) and Information Transport Service (ITS) messaging as well as agency-specific protocols. This allows for seamless communication across different systems and organizations.

The system also facilitates the transfer of messages through the Military Health System (MHS) using protocols defined in the X.400 Recommendations. The most common protocols used for message transfer include:

The Harrier system also uses the S/MIME standard for message security, which provides message signing, header signing, and encryption, including Triple Wrap. This ensures the integrity and confidentiality of messages transferred through the system.

Draft & Release is a critical process that ensures messages are properly approved before being sent.

Harrier offers two capabilities to facilitate this process: "Compose for Review" and "Releaser Model". The "Compose for Review" feature allows drafters to send messages to multiple reviewers simultaneously, receive comments, and update the draft.

In contrast, the "Releaser Model" requires a message to pass through a series of approvers before it's sent by the final releaser on behalf of the organization.

Cobalt provides flexible configuration of the release process, allowing some roles to send messages directly with controls based on message precedence and SICs.

The Isode whitepaper "Isode’s Draft, Review and Release Solution" provides a detailed explanation of the draft and release process.

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The Advanced Features of a Message Handling System are quite impressive. They include AMHS Basic and Extended services such as file transfer body part (attachment) and directory services.

The user agent supports AFTN, AMHS, and Internet email message formats, making it a versatile tool. This means you can use it with different types of messages and systems.

Message conversion between all supported message formats is also a key feature. This includes converting AMHS to AFTN and AMHS to email, making it easier to work with different systems.

The system can also exchange data with EUROCONTROL ATS Messaging Management Center (AMC) and European Directory Services (EDS). This enables seamless communication and data sharing with other systems.

System management is made easy with a single GUI for configuration and monitoring of all system functionalities. This saves time and effort in managing the system.

The software development kit (SDK) enables user agent message templates to be produced by the customer. This gives customers more control over the system and allows them to customize it to their needs.

Mailbox sharing among x.400 users is also a feature of the system. This allows multiple users to share a mailbox and access messages from a central location.

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M-Switch archives messages to a local disk on arrival and departure for high performance, and also records an audit log of all messages.

This double archive is crucial when protocol conversion occurs, ensuring that messages are safely stored and can be accessed later.

MConsole, the M-Switch management UI, can query the audit database and access archived messages by communicating to the appropriate M-Switch server.

MConsole uses these functions to provide a number of views to present relevant message history to the operator and to provide a sophisticated message tracking capability.

The audit database correlates message acknowledgements, which can be used to detect potentially lost messages and prove historical operation without loss.

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Profiling is a crucial function in Management and Tracking that enables the distribution of messages based on their content. It's central to Message Management and Handling System (MMHS) and is provided by M-Switch with configuration in Cobalt.

Subject Indicator Codes (SICs) are used to identify action and information recipients, allowing the originator to specify meta-information associated with the message. This enables the message to be distributed to appropriate roles.

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Text matching is another key function, where free text in the subject and message body is matched to control distribution. This helps ensure that messages reach the right people.

Distribution by message handling and message instructions is also a vital function, allowing for the automated routing of messages based on their content. This streamlines the process and reduces manual intervention.

Out of hours processing is a feature that enables alternate processing based on message precedence at configured times. This is particularly useful for high-priority messages that need to be handled quickly, even when some role mailboxes are not monitored.

Manual processing is provided for special SICs, such as AAA, and for messages where no recipients are identified. In these cases, an operator will use a Web interface to review the arriving message and assign recipients to handle it.

These distribution lists function along the lines of standard email lists, making it easy to manage and track messages.

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M-Switch archives messages to a local disk on arrival and departure, which is crucial when protocol conversion occurs.

This double archive feature ensures that messages are safely stored and can be easily accessed later.

M-Switch also records an audit log of all messages, which is processed and stored in an SQL Audit Database.

The audit database is a powerful tool that allows operators to query and access archived messages, providing a sophisticated message tracking capability.

MConsole, the M-Switch management UI, can communicate with the audit database and access archived messages, giving operators a clear view of message history.

By correlating message acknowledgements, the audit database can detect potentially lost messages and prove historical operation without loss.

This feature is further explained in the Isode white paper Using Message Acknowledgements for Tracking, Correlation and Fire & Forget.

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Telos AMHS is certified by the OMS Program Management Office, thoroughly tested in the prime system integrator's laboratory, and completes the entire FISP process before fielding.

It meets current and proposed requirements for official messaging standards, making it ideal to support all official messaging requirements.

The system is accredited to meet security control baselines in accordance with ICD 503, giving users a high level of confidence in its reliability and security.

Telos AMHS is backed by DISA for OMS, which means it's fully supported for use in the Operational Messaging Service environment.

Here are some of the key certifications and compliance standards that Telos AMHS meets: