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Re: [mail-vet-discuss] Authentication vs. Authorization

2008-10-25 02:11:03
On Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:44:01 -0700 Douglas Otis 
<dotis(_at_)mail-abuse(_dot_)org> 
wrote:

Describing these SPF/Sender-ID results as "authentication" will mean  
domains publishing SPF records are now in jeopardy of dangerously  
misleading recipients whenever a shared outbound server is employed  
somewhere.  The risk will become painfully apparent whenever a bad  
actor's only "authentication" credential is having sent email through  
one of the authorized SMTP clients.  There are _many_ cases where  
independent domains share a common outbound server.   While path  
registration may help reduce a range of spoofed DSNs, it is NEVER safe  
to refer to this mechanism as an AUTHENTICATION method.  This is not  
the first time that this concern has been raised. 

Note that DKIM doesn't tell you any more or less.  The same mechanisms that 
the outbound shared MTA admin can use to prevent this type of problem for 
DKIM can be used to prevent it for SPF.

Scott K
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