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Re: [ietf-dkim] Re: WG Review: Domain Keys Identified Mail (dkim)

2005-12-22 19:13:34

On Dec 22, 2005, at 4:50 PM, Mark Delany wrote:

The DKIM proponents are saying they want something close to the current spec as they think it will work, they think it solves their need and they think they can deploy it. I think it's fair to say that most of the DKIM proponents have not come to this conclusion lightly.

The not-DKIM proponents want something better, for some value of "better". What the not-DKIM proponents have failed to do is identify who wants their "better" or who will deploy their "better". In other words, why is it really "better"? Apart from esoterics of course.

Three approaches to challenging the DKIM proponents are to
  a) question their competence
  b) question their diligence in arriving at their proposal
  c) convince them that "better" will improve their market-share.

If I can be presumptuous Eric, I believe you're targeting c). If so,
can you elaborate?


Adoption will suffer due to inordinate lookup requirements at the receiving MTA. Every message must perform multiple lookups to discover closed-policies found for a fractional percentage of the email-domains. Relief from abuse requires reputation services. For reputation services, solutions for abusive message replay must be found. The current draft also lacks solutions in this area as well. The only discernible strategy seems to shift accountability onto the often hapless email-address domain owner, rather than the DKIM signer. Note who should receive the complaints.

Being in favor of DKIM as a means to enhance the SMTP transport does not extend to the SSP draft where many at the last BOF suggested this mechanism had several problems. Adopting a recognition strategy offers a reasonable solution and there are other possible solutions. The clearly broken solution is the SSP draft however.

Issues related to the use of a CERT RR would be examples of engineering that may depreciate some of the existing implementations. Changes in hash functions, signature options, defined roles, or limiting the number of signatures are areas where changes must occur with little guidance from the existing drafts.

I assume you meant adoption, but perhaps I should ask what market- share means to you?

-Doug





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