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Re: [ietf-dkim] why we should clearly specify domain existence

2008-05-27 16:45:10

On May 27, 2008, at 8:09 AM, Frank Ellermann wrote:

While we're busy renaming ADSP results, could anybody here explain  
the idea of "all" vs. "discardable" ?  I don't see the difference.

The otis-dkim-adsp draft modified the terms from

unknown/all/discardable
  to
OPEN/CLOSED/LOCKED

"unknown" is a misnomer since this asserts not signing Author Domain  
messages is permitted.  This practice becomes known once the ADSP has  
been discovered.  The term "OPEN" more correctly indicates any  
outbound SMTP server is "open" to users of the Author Domain.

The term "all" incorrectly implies the nature of the assertion.   
Clearly ensuring all messages are signed is beyond the control of the  
domain making this assertion.  Not "all" Author Domain messages can be  
assured to have been signed.  Rather "CLOSED" more correctly indicates  
non-signing SMTP services are considered "closed" to users of the  
Author Domain.  Use of "closed" non-signing outbound SMTP servers will  
result in messages being non-compliant with an ADSP "CLOSED" assertion.

Depending upon intended outcome of "discardable", this term recommends  
an action that may not be appropriate, and one that degrades the  
integrity of SMTP delivery.  This term was replaced with a more  
generic term "LOCKED".  This assertion stipulates that the Author  
Domain wishes to have their messages lacking a valid Author Key Domain  
signatures dismissed.  Dismissal does not imply discard.  The Author  
Domain desires to have acceptance of Author Domain messages "locked"  
in to having valid Author Key Domain signatures.

For normal conversational email, a "CLOSED" Author Domain may often be  
found without a valid Author Key Domain signature.  For specific  
transactional email, a "LOCKED" Author Domain should seldom be found  
without a valid Author Key Domain signature.  The difference between  
"CLOSED" and "LOCKED" will likely be reflected in how messages are  
scored.

-Doug



  
     
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