Questinair about email policy records to indicate proper source of email (RE: FW: The worst abuse e-mail ever, sverige.net)

Wed Sep 22 20:08:17 UTC 2004

> Now here are the questions, I'd like to receive feedback on:
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 1. Are you ISP? What size?

I am ISP.  Well rather, I'm AN ISP.  Okay, so I just operate one, but
you get the gist.

> 2. If you're ISP are you willing to quickly deploy these records if such
>    standard becomes available? If so how quickly can you deploy it -

"If you're ISP"?  Who's asking the questions, Ali G?

> 3. Are you willing to configure/upgrade your email server to check of
>    these policy records and reject SMTP connection based on these records?

No, because I already utilize multiple DNS-based blacklists which do
precisely that (blocking dynamically assigned dialup/cable/DSL address
pools), as part of SpamAssassin and other spam filtering mechanisms.

> 4. Many users and even RIRs have expressed doubts about relying on IN-ADDR
>    and said it has technical problems and/or that IN-ADDR zones are badly
>    maintained by ISPs and that we should not rely on it. Do you agree?

No need to look at in-addr.  See above.

> 6. The suggestion that has been made to allow DNS policy record for
>    SMTP Mail server as used in EHLO to override policy record for IP as
>    a way to get around non-cooperative or slow ISPs that don't let their
>    customers control what record is in the INADDR zone. What do you
>    think about this?

Don't take it personally, but I think that's a bad idea.

> 7. For the policy record would you prefer to just say that no email
>    is to come from the ip or would you prefer to be able to specify
>    more complex record:

"For the policy record"?  Are you an officer of the court?  Columbo? 
What "record" are you keeping, and for which organization(s)?  Did Ray
P. step down and make you the CEO of ARIN?

> 8. Would you like to have an option as part of policy record that
>    can be used so that other email servers when they see SMTP connection

That doesn't parse.  "SMTP connections"?  Or "a SMTP connection"?  

>    from certain ip would report back to you if ip is used for outgoing
>    email connections?

Yes.  I'd hope IP is being used for e-mail connections.  It sure beats
the alternatives, such as DECNet, AppleTalk, and IPX.

> 9. Would you like to have an option as part of policy record
>    that lets specify who the administrator is to contact in case

Depends.  Lets who specify?

> 12. Do you consider that these email policy records for ips would be
>     alternative for ISP port 25 blocking or a complimentary technology
>     that can be used together with it?

No.  Again, you're reinventing the wheel unnecessarily.  See existing dnsbl's.