ietf-smtp
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Who will lead the fight for email authentication

2005-05-17 17:22:43

At 06:42 PM 5/17/2005 -0400, Valdis(_dot_)Kletnieks(_at_)vt(_dot_)edu wrote:

On Tue, 17 May 2005 15:02:13 PDT, David MacQuigg said:

> Looks like the two most likely leaders are the FTC and Microsoft.  I don't
> see the IETF stepping up to the plate.  The FTC will give us a technically
> clumsy, not very effective, and legally burdensome solution.

There's a lot of places the FTC doesn't have jurisdiction.  In fact, there's
a lot of things *inside* the US it doesn't get to regulate, because the commerce
involved doesn't cross state lines....

My first choice is a solution that is entirely voluntary. If that doesn't happen, then some large organization is going to have to give it a push. The FTC has plenty of power to do just that, even without any mandates or regulations. See purl.net/macquigg/email Registry.htm for my "thoughts in progress" on this issue.

Microsoft also has the power, although it will take them a lot longer because there is so much resentment over their tactics, and they do seem truly confused over what to do next.

There is also a smaller possibility that some company like Spamhaus will step in and do the public a big favor. It won't take much of an investment to establish a Registry of Public Email Servers. All the information to create default records is publicly available. Who knows, they might even make a profit from selling access to the Registry.

I think we are very close to the "tipping point". That will occur when about 25% of email is being filtered based on domain ratings. At that point, there will be a rush of domains wanting to get their Registry records narrowed down to just the few IPs that they control tightly, and keep the zombies from tarnishing their name.

This is about the last chance for the IETF to make a contribution, or to have any say in whatever de-facto standard emerges.

--
Dave
************************************************************     *
* David MacQuigg, PhD     email: david_macquigg at yahoo.com     *  *
* IC Design Engineer            phone:  USA 520-721-4583      *  *  *
* Analog Design Methodologies                                 *  *  *
*                                 9320 East Mikelyn Lane       * * *
* VRS Consulting, P.C.            Tucson, Arizona 85710          *
************************************************************     *



<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>