Re: VGER does gradual SPF activation (FAQ matter)

Neil Brown
2006-06-12T10:59:23Z

On Monday June 12, alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk wrote:
>
> SPF *would* be wonderful if the users controlled SPF handling and
> someone fixed the forwarding flaws in it, but neither is the case today.
>

The "forwarding flaws" are not flaws in SPF but in SMTP practice.
I suspect they grew out of the multi-hop days of UUCP and similar
protocols, but it isn't appropriate in todays Internet.

A forwarded email is a new message and shouldn't claim to be from the
original sender.

I rent a home and occasionally get mail for the landlords which I
redirect to them. If I mis-direct it, it should really come back to
me rather than the original sender (though the current postal system
doesn't actually encourage that). Of course my landlord needs to trust
me, but if they didn't they would have told everybody their new
address (and they have told most people).

Forwarding systems *Shouldn't* simply forward the mail. They should
re-send it from a new origin. If it bounces, there are various thing
that can be done, from human interaction, or disabling the forward for
future email, allowing customers to register backup addresses, or
having web-access to bounced mail or whatever.

Yes, people have to change their forwarding practices to be fully SPF
compliant, but that is a case of it is broke, and should be fixed
anyway.

NeilBrown