spf-discuss
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RE: "SPF Sender Authentication Deployment Recommendations" draft

2005-01-10 15:38:50
On Sun, 9 Jan 2005, Julian Mehnle wrote:

I don't want a political statement just for the sake of it.  What I want
is a statement saying that...

  - using SPFv1 records for RFC 2822 identities isn't what they were/are
    intended for, both on a conceptual level and on the level of the
    millions of records already published,

  - the SPF project is not willing to concede this repurposing to
    Microsoft, i.e. the SPFv1 draft will not be adjusted to acknowledge
    the need for extra v=spf2 records, and

  - any complaints regarding the supposed brokenness that result from
    misinterpretation of v=spf1 records should be directed at Microsoft,
    i.e. SPF works correctly if used properly.

I would not bring up those particular facts.  I would point out that:

    - SPF and SenderID are different protocols that authenticate
      completely different parts of an email (envelope vs. headers),
      and should not be confused.

    - A rejection by a SenderID implementation does NOT imply that
      there is a problem with your SPF record.  An acceptance 
      by SenderID does NOT imply that your SPF record is correct.

    - If you need to ensure a Sender ID pass, you must publish a SenderID
      record.  See http://microsoft.com/...whatever
      Although SenderID has a heuristic that tries to reuse 
      SPF records, that works for many simple domains, it is not
      authoritative.

-- 
              Stuart D. Gathman <stuart(_at_)bmsi(_dot_)com>
    Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flamis acribus addictis" - background song for
a Microsoft sponsored "Where do you want to go from here?" commercial.