spf-discuss
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Re: Opening Debate on SPF vs. SenderKeys

2004-08-20 18:55:40

Hello,

The only reason I am interested in SPF is to decrease my spam reception.


Agreed.  Senders do not have much motivation, only receivers of forged spam do.  That is 
another reason why widesread SPF "-all" will not happen.

I don't think SPF will decrease "spam reception". *At all.* The only reason I like it is that it gives domain owners a "say" in what machine sends email using your domain name. And the TXT record can be configured by any domain owner. There are no "lists", no "central database", you don't have to pay someone to be a member of some group. IMHO SPF is completely elegant in what it aims to do.

In fact, the implementation I built for my servers allows spam through even if it fails other common tests, if the SPF check result is valid.

I think that an SSL kind of scheme where the first SMTP server (after AUTH) injects a header with the to, from, and subject encrypted by a key traceable to a recognized authority would reduce spam somewhat, if SMTP servers only relayed/sent mail with valid signatures. But there is a good deal of overhead involved in that. But that sort of thing would be practically transparent to the end user, and still provide some sort of anonymity. And it is a thing one could choose to implement or not implement.

I am certain there has to be some sort of project already going that functions similar to this idea.

Best Regards,

Waitman Gobble