[PLUG-TALK] Bounced emails

[Denis Heidtmann]

On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 7:34 PM, wes <plug at the-wes.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 6:09 PM, Denis Heidtmann <denis.heidtmann at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 5:45 PM, wes <plug at the-wes.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >> Questions:
>> >> Why do some servers refuse to comply with 2505?
>> >
>> > There's something called address spoofing, where spammers use your
>> > address
>> > as the "From:" address in spams they send out. This causes a deluge of
>> > bounce messages to be sent to you, resulting from emails you never sent.
>> > This practice prevents that backlash.
>> >
>> >>
>> >> Why do some providers require compliance, while others do not (gmail,
>> >> for example)?
>> >
>> > Why should there be uniformity? Every mail server admin has the choice
>> > of
>> > how their mail server works. Sometimes this freedom causes some things
>> > to
>> > not work.
>> >
>> >>
>> >> Is it reasonable for dslnorthwest to require compliance?
>> >
>> > That is a tough question. I'm sure the staff at DSLNorthWest discussed
>> > the
>> > matter and decided it would be preferable to enforce the rules. Their
>> > reasons are their own; their freedom is our freedom. I'm sure if enough
>> > of
>> > their customers complained about this, they would change this practice.
>> >
>> > -wes
>> >
>> My understanding of the motivation for rfc 2505 is SPAM reduction. Are
>> you saying that uniform compliance would not improve the situation?
>>
>
> Correct, it's not something that really helps or hurts the spam situatoin.
>
>
>>
>> With regard to bounces: My sister-in-law (let's say sil at foo.com) sends
>> a message to me.  dslnorthwest refuses it because her server does not
>> accept any connections.  So she gets the bounce message.  If a spammer
>> spoofs her address and the spammer's server also does not accept any
>> connections, who gets the bounce message?  Does it not come back to
>> sil at foo.com?  Or does it go into a black hole?
>>
>> -Denis
>
>
> Black hole.
>
> -wes
And if the spammer's server does accept connections?  Does this
disclose the spoof?

So in your opinion those who crafted (proposed, suggested, pick your
verb) 2505 were either wrong that it would address spam, or they had
other goals?

-Denis