IETF Logo Mail Archive

Re: [apps-discuss] Comments on Malformed Message BCP draft

Tony Finch <dot@dotat.at> Mon, 18 April 2011 12:08 UTC

Return-Path: <fanf2@hermes.cam.ac.uk>
X-Original-To: apps-discuss@ietfc.amsl.com
Delivered-To: apps-discuss@ietfc.amsl.com
Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by ietfc.amsl.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 75D75E066F for <apps-discuss@ietfc.amsl.com>; Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:08:20 -0700 (PDT)
X-Virus-Scanned: amavisd-new at amsl.com
X-Spam-Flag: NO
X-Spam-Score: -4.725
X-Spam-Level:
X-Spam-Status: No, score=-4.725 tagged_above=-999 required=5 tests=[AWL=1.874, BAYES_00=-2.599, RCVD_IN_DNSWL_MED=-4]
Received: from mail.ietf.org ([208.66.40.236]) by localhost (ietfc.amsl.com [127.0.0.1]) (amavisd-new, port 10024) with ESMTP id 9F-PHkxyEkQi for <apps-discuss@ietfc.amsl.com>; Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:08:16 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from ppsw-52.csi.cam.ac.uk (ppsw-52.csi.cam.ac.uk [131.111.8.152]) by ietfc.amsl.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 36900E065A for <apps-discuss@ietf.org>; Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:08:16 -0700 (PDT)
X-Cam-AntiVirus: no malware found
X-Cam-SpamDetails: not scanned
X-Cam-ScannerInfo: http://www.cam.ac.uk/cs/email/scanner/
Received: from hermes-2.csi.cam.ac.uk ([131.111.8.54]:36402) by ppsw-52.csi.cam.ac.uk (smtp.hermes.cam.ac.uk [131.111.8.159]:25) with esmtpa (EXTERNAL:fanf2) id 1QBnFV-0006rt-Do (Exim 4.72) (return-path <fanf2@hermes.cam.ac.uk>); Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:08:13 +0100
Received: from fanf2 (helo=localhost) by hermes-2.csi.cam.ac.uk (hermes.cam.ac.uk) with local-esmtp id 1QBnFV-0005qh-6Q (Exim 4.67) (return-path <fanf2@hermes.cam.ac.uk>); Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:08:13 +0100
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:08:13 +0100
From: Tony Finch <dot@dotat.at>
X-X-Sender: fanf2@hermes-2.csi.cam.ac.uk
To: Dave Cridland <dave@cridland.net>
In-Reply-To: <3111.1302886222.968467@puncture>
Message-ID: <alpine.LSU.2.00.1104181304010.19348@hermes-2.csi.cam.ac.uk>
References: <F5833273385BB34F99288B3648C4F06F1343319E22@EXCH-C2.corp.cloudmark.com> <CEDB17EC-80CE-49B5-91C1-FBCB0449BBA5@network-heretics.com> <4DA8542F.9040003@tana.it> <F5833273385BB34F99288B3648C4F06F1343319E51@EXCH-C2.corp.cloudmark.com> <3111.1302886222.968467@puncture>
User-Agent: Alpine 2.00 (LSU 1167 2008-08-23)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset="US-ASCII"
Sender: Tony Finch <fanf2@hermes.cam.ac.uk>
Cc: ietf-822 <ietf-822@imc.org>, General discussion of application-layer protocols <apps-discuss@ietf.org>
Subject: Re: [apps-discuss] Comments on Malformed Message BCP draft
X-BeenThere: apps-discuss@ietf.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12
Precedence: list
List-Id: General discussion of application-layer protocols <apps-discuss.ietf.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://www.ietf.org/mailman/options/apps-discuss>, <mailto:apps-discuss-request@ietf.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/apps-discuss>
List-Post: <mailto:apps-discuss@ietf.org>
List-Help: <mailto:apps-discuss-request@ietf.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/apps-discuss>, <mailto:apps-discuss-request@ietf.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:08:20 -0000

Dave Cridland <dave@cridland.net> wrote:
>
> It may be that the discussion suggests rejecting, in which case I suggest the
> document should clearly explain why, and what the implications of not doing so
> are, beyond "it makes some problems harder to diagnose".

It does not make sense to have a uniform policy for dealing with corrupt
messages. Some kinds of corruption are caused by common legitimate
software, in which case you will want to treat it leniently; others are
caused by malware or rare kinds of incompetence, in which case it makes
more sense to reject. You can only determine which is which based on
operational experience, and the least-worst response changes from time to
time.

Tony.
-- 
f.anthony.n.finch  <dot@dotat.at>  http://dotat.at/
Rockall, Malin, Hebrides: South 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in
Rockall and Malin, veering west or northwest 4 or 5, then backing southwest 5
or 6 later. Rough or very rough. Occasional rain. Moderate or good,
occasionally poor.

v2.23.0 | Report a Bug | By Email