Re: Welcome to the new(ish) ASRG list

On 3/16/2013 7:53 PM, Chris wrote:
> essentially its a reputation system. To send an email you need to
> attach a stamp. if that stamp is successfully received it gives the
> sender a new stamp so he can send another email. 

It seems to me that if the industry would do the following:

(1) get strongly behind *requiring* FCrDNS for IPs sending
NON-authenticated mail (i.e. "last external" MTA)

(2) and ESPECIALLY make that a *requirement* for NON-authenticated IPv6
e-mail

(3) Then solve the HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE and CONSTANTLY UNDER-RATED
problem of overabundance of mail-sending IPv6 addresses (a spammer's
dream as they never run out of new fresh IPs, and can send each e-mail
from a DIFFERENT IP address!) ...we could solve that problem... by
simply making it an industry standard to block ALL NON-authenticated
IPv6 mail that doesn't originate from one single designated (as in
"standardized") "root" IP per /48 block. (or, make it even MORE
scarce... like one designated IP per /36 block? other?)... this would be
the equivalent of blocking all NON-authenticated IPv4 mail that isn't
sent from an IP ending in ".0"... sort of like that, except far more
strict. IPv6 mail-sending is still youthful enough to where it isn't too
late to get behind this idea... but time is running out!

...those won't be a magic cure... would go a long way towards helping to
solve the spam problem... and these suggestions ARE feasible because
they (A) use existing technologies, and (B) in the case of FCrDN,
involve already existing "best practices".

NOTE: I specified "NON-authenticated mail" because I'm making the point
that ANY ip address can still password-authenticate to an MTA for that
MTA to then send the message on their behalf. These ideas don't impact
THAT part at all... so your toaster or watch or car or whatever can
STILL send an e-mail to you via smtp-authentication via ANY IP (as long
as it uses a valid SMTP mail server and doesn't try to send directly,
like a botnet would do.)

-- 
Rob McEwen
http://dnsbl.invaluement.com/
[email protected]
+1 (478) 475-9032