spf-discuss
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Re: [spf-discuss] Resolving MFROM/HELO conflicts

2010-01-14 06:31:57
David MacQuigg wrote:
Stuart D. Gathman wrote:
Here is a little nit that wasn't addressed in RFC4408. If HELO SPF says to reject, but SPF for MAIL FROM says Pass, which takes precedence? For spfv1, I think we are stuck with "receiver policy" (especially since checking HELO is optional). Should we specify a precedence for spfv3? Make HELO check a MUST? Or keep HELO optional, but give precedence to MFROM?

The HELO check should be mandatory, and should take precedence over the MFROM check. There is no "forwarding problem" (or any other excuse for failure) with the HELO check. Furthermore, all the "bells and whistles" in an SPF record should not apply to the HELO check. It should be a simple Pass/Fail, with an immediate SMTP REJECT on Fail.

We had already talked with John Klensin about this subject and concluded that it is hardly practicable because of brain damaged clients out there who don't even know their IP address. John suggested to use a different verb, VHLO, for clients who wish to undergo such a severe scrutiny. A "pass" would then result in some sort of whitelisting. I've detailed the finish for this line of thought in http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-vesely-vhlo

IMHO, in spfv3, we can drop the whole idea of HELO-checking, because backscattering has been substantially reduced in the mean time, while SPF records for host names have never flown.



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