On Tue, 21 Jun 2005, David MacQuigg wrote:
It would help if someone could provide a clear, concise statement of the
PRA/SPF problem and post it on the new website. I'll help with the wording
to make sure it is clear to non-experts.
SPF classic validates the MAIL FROM identity defined in RFC2821 by
describing which IP addresses a given MAIL FROM can originate from.
Sender-ID validates a new identity defined by Microsoft called "PRA" which is
derived from identities defined in RFC2822 via a patented algorithm.
This would be an interesting and valuable experiment on Microsoft's part,
except for this: they propose to reinterpret, in production across their
entire 90% market share user base, the million or so SPF classic
records describing IPs valid for a MAIL FROM as if they instead described
IPs valid for a PRA. This turns their interesting experiment into
electronic vandalism on a global scale.
--
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.