VeriSign SMTP reject server updated

Sat Sep 20 18:25:41 UTC 2003

> One piece of feedback we received multiple times after the 
> addition of the wildcard A record to the .com/.net zones 
> concerned snubby, our SMTP mail rejection server. 

Did you miss the other pieces of feedback about how wildcard records in .com
and .net are simply a bad idea for numerous reasons?

> We would like to state for the record that the only purpose 
> of this server is to reject mail immediately to avoid its 
> remaining in MTA queues throughout the Internet.  We are 
> specifically not retaining, nor do we have any intention to 
> retain, any email addresses from these SMTP transactions. 

Right. We can't trust you to do the right thing with regard to the wildcards
themselves, so now we have to trust you when you tell us what your SMTP
server does. Why should we trust you, again?

> I would welcome feedback on these options sent to me 
> privately or the list; I will summarize the former.

I'll take "the list", even though I'm sure it'll get beaten to death by the
time I check my mailbox again.

Matthew Kaufman
matthew at eeph.com

Ps. Are you planning on operating servers which reject, with proper status
codes, every other common service that might be found at an Internet
address?