ietf-822
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Re: Mandatory From field, anonymity, and hacks

2005-01-31 20:12:51

In <200501292355(_dot_)38762(_dot_)blilly(_at_)erols(_dot_)com> Bruce Lilly 
<blilly(_at_)erols(_dot_)com> writes:

On Sat January 29 2005 04:23, Hector Santos wrote:

Most, if not all SMTP receivers detect valid headers and add what is
necessary.

No, MTAs are not supposed to alter the message content except
to add trace fields (Received, Return-Path).  MSAs are permitted
to make specific modifications.

Have you ever tried sending a message with no Message-ID through sendmail?


Are you proposing further relaxation as follows?

822:    Valid RFC header = Date && (cc || bcc || To)
2822:   Valid RFC header = Date && (Sender || Reply-To)

Yes, ....

Technically, a message needs no headers at all.

No, a message must have a message header, and that message
header must have at least one header field.  See RFC 822
section 4.1, RFC 2822 sections 3.5 & 3.6, and RFC 2046
section 5.2.1.

I see nothing in those places that requires "at least one header field"
except for the provision that certain header fields are not optional, and
hence must be present. But since you seem prepared to reduce the number of
required header fields, then you are in no position to object when Hector
suggests the possibility of reducing them to zero.

And RFC 2046 section 5.2.1 says nothing about headers of messages.


If that's an SMTP question, yes, because SMTP transfers
messages, and the message format (822/2822) requires a
header with certain fields.

False premise, leading to false conclusion.

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