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Re: [spf-discuss] Rejecting "Best-Guess" failures

2006-07-25 14:55:33
On Fri, Jul 21, 2006 at 12:26:49PM -0400, Stuart D. Gathman wrote:
I don't like it.  Compliing with #1 and #2 is too easy for a spammer, and
they're only exposing their IP/hostname which I don't want to blacklist (the
paragraph above should explain why).  OTOH, if they're forced to expose 
their
domain name, I'll be glad to blacklist that.

#1 doesn't just require a PTR, but a PTR name that is not dynamic according
to my heuristic algorithm.  Spammers *could* comply, but zombie based spam
generally doesn't.  If I could (see below), I would eliminate this 
method of authentication.  I don't blame you for not liking it.

 <rant>I hate MTAs that reject based solely on lack of a PTR.  It is
 impossible for many small subscribers to get their incompetent ISP
 monopoly to publish a valid PTR.  PTR is a stupid means of authentication.
 </rant>

"incompetent ISP monopoly" ....uhm, where I seen this before? :-)

#2 *does* expose a domain name.  A spammer must own the domain to provide a
valid HELO that is different from the PTR (and I require it to resolve to the
sender IP).  HELOs that are the same as a dynamic looking PTR are not
accepted.

Ah.  Sounds good to me then.  But I find best-guess rejection slightly better:
you get to reject phishing spam that has a valid hello (with a dummy, spammer
controlled domain), but still uses the forged address as the sender.

They expose their domain either way, but I don't care at all about their domain
being exposed when I can reject their crap before it reaches my mailbox :)

-- 
Robert Millan

My spam trap is honeypot(_at_)aybabtu(_dot_)com(_dot_)  Note: this address is 
only intended for
spam harvesters.  Writing to it will get you added to my black list.

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