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Re: [mail-vet-discuss] Discussion of auth-header draft (fwd)

2008-10-09 09:11:02
Charles Lindsey wrote:

Actually, the best suggestion I have seen is that POP3/IMAP servers should  
see to the matter. I realise that might not be easy for POP3, but IMAP is  
already so bloated with extensions that another one would hardly be  
noticed :-( .

Yes, I also shuddered slightly when I suggested it. But it seemed to fit
the most with what was going on. IMAP/POP servers are what the MUA is
talking with; they *are* the representative for the MDA; and the MUA is
*already* talking with the IMAP/POP servers, so could easily ask for a
bit more information.

We can write it up and see if it flies. Here's how it could look:

    IMAP
        x CAPABILITY
        x CAPABILITY Authentication-Results=isp.example.net
        x OK CAPABILITY completed

    POP3
        CAPA
        Authentication-Results=isp.example.net

In both cases, the isp.example.net is the authserv-id put in by *this*
MDA system.

A coworker also suggested the following: If you trust that your MTAs from
the border inbound are compliant, then you can pretty much guarantee that
Authentication-Results: will appear immediately above (or perhaps
immediately below) a matching Received: header, and thus you could decide
to trust only those which (a) have such an adjacency, and (b) are from a
host you trust.

And yes, I like that, though it is perhaps less likely to be implemented  
by MUAs. Presumably the hope is that future MTA will, when they spot a  
believable Authenticated header, display a Large Green Tick beside the  
message, so that the naive user will be suitably reassured

The Large Green Tick only gets put there if you've suitably
authenticated the message *AND* you have a positive reputation
associated with that domain and/or user.

Remember, joe.spammer.com can use DKIM also. I would want
joe.spammer.com to get a Large Red Stop Sign instead.

        Tony Hansen
        tony(_at_)att(_dot_)com
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