TMDA Re: [Gllug] New worm doing the rounds?

[Jason Clifford]

On Tue, 17 Feb 2004, will wrote:

> Only if the MTA was set up badly (stupidly?).  The chances are bruces 
> mail would have sailed past the SPF checks just fine because UKLinux.net 
> does not have SPF records, and if you set up SPF properly (ISTR) you 
> wouldn't fail a check if a domain does not have an SPF record.

So all a spammer needs to do in order to avoid SPF blocking it's email is 
to use domains that don't publish SPF records?

Doesn't sound like a very useful tool in blocking spam and it seems to me 
to be a recipe for vast numbers of false positive matches in SPF rules 
causing lots of legitimate email to be bounced.

That, to me, is the worst of both worlds.

> > It's another non starter for anyone who values the freedom of separating 
> > their email address from their current connection etc.
> 
> I don't consider that to be a 'significant freedom', just as not running 
> open proxies and relays is not a 'significant freedom'.  Convenient[0]? 

It's nothing like running an open proxy.

Open proxies are abuse and serve no valid legitimate purpose.

The freedom to use your email address regardless of your current 'net 
connection is very significant to anyone who is a mobile user or who works 
from home or who is sending personal email from a work place (where 
permitted under the employers terms of use) or who is working on a 
project, etc.

The number of legitimate and significant uses is very great indeed both 
commercially and non commercially.

>   Yes, sometimes, but then so is the convenience of not having to use a 
> password to log into any of our win98 machines at work.

It's more than convenience. The alternative is being forced into single 
supplier lock in. That will lead to effective monopolies if carried.

Jason Clifford
-- 
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