spf-discuss
[Top] [All Lists]

Forwading/Redirecting: The problem as I see it....

2005-07-06 06:22:34
SPF isn't the problem, but the problem is real and and is the causes a major 
problem for the adoption of SPF.

There are thousands of small/medium sized ISPs, Domain registration and hosting 
companies that simply use a redirect for all of their customers e-mails.  

Let say for example that e-mails for joeblogs(_at_)his-new-domain(_dot_)com go 
through to joeblogs(_at_)dialupisp(_dot_)com as a final destination.

Now the company doing the forward or redirect (What ever term you prefer) is 
not able to know who will send mail to this recepient, and probably not able to 
implement some rewriting system.

So the message may be sent from me(_at_)bigISP(_dot_)com (Which is SPF 
enabled), but ends up going through this small forward/redirect companies 
servers and then onto joeblogs(_at_)dialupisp(_dot_)com(_dot_)  dialupisp.com 
checks SPF and sees that the message has not come from bigISP as it should of 
and rejects it or bulk mails it.

Joe Blogs is not happy, he doesn't care that the problem is with the 
redirector/forwarder, he doesn't care that the way he has been receiving his 
e-mail for the last 5 years is wrong.

This is the problem as I see it... it isn't with SPF, but the problem is very 
much a problem for SPF. Without a workable solution I cannot see SPF getting 
the wide use it needs.

The solution has to be transparent for the end user and although it is not 
strictly the problem of SPF, it cannot simply be ignored and brushed aside.  
Without the solution, that is easy for ALL, I can't see SPF being used as it 
should be.

I do see many arguments on this list and don't want to start one myself... I do 
want to see a solution to forged e-mails as much as anyone.

The way I see it, SPF is only part of the solution and without the rest of the 
solution... well its not much use.

Dan Field

-------
Sender Policy Framework: http://spf.pobox.com/
Archives at http://archives.listbox.com/spf-discuss/current/
To unsubscribe, change your address, or temporarily deactivate your 
subscription, 
please go to 
http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=spf-discuss(_at_)v2(_dot_)listbox(_dot_)com