ietf-dkim
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RE: [ietf-dkim] x= lets senders expire responsibility

2006-04-12 05:46:49
I disagree. 

I think the semantics are 'don't count on being able to verify this message
after this date'.

If I do manage to verify I can hold the purported signer resposible
regrdless of wheter x= is there or not.

My fault handling process for 'key not found' is going to be different if x=
has expired.

-----Original Message-----
From: ietf-dkim-bounces(_at_)mipassoc(_dot_)org 
[mailto:ietf-dkim-bounces(_at_)mipassoc(_dot_)org] On Behalf Of Mark Delany
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 2:13 AM
To: ietf-dkim(_at_)mipassoc(_dot_)org
Subject: [ietf-dkim] x= lets senders expire responsibility

On Wed, Apr 12, 2006 at 01:07:22AM -0400, Hector Santos 
allegedly wrote:

Remove x=

IMO, there is a precise and purposeful rationale.   I  can 
come up with
atleast a dozen reasons or more why a signer may want to utilize an 
expiration concept.

As you say, and I agree, the benefits flow mostly, if not 
entirely, to the signer ... even though earlier discussions 
mooted benefits to the verifier.


As I understand it, when x= expires the signer wants 
verifiers to treat the mail as unverified - in effect signers 
get to disclaim responsibility for that email after a certain 
point in time.

This seems entirely at odds with DKIM which is about senders 
taking responsibility for an email for the benefit of the verifier.

DKIM is not about senders taking responsibility for just 5 
seconds or just 5 minutes or just 5 days. If a mail is signed 
and sent, a sender has no right, in my mind, to subsequently 
disclaim responsibility. It's their content; they wear the 
consequences forever.

In short: x= gives senders wiggle room to expire 
responsibility - that seems at odds with our goals.


Mark.
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