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Re: [Asrg] Some data on the validity of MAIL FROM addresses

"Alan DeKok" <aland@freeradius.org> Sun, 18 May 2003 22:11 UTC

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From: Alan DeKok <aland@freeradius.org>
To: asrg@ietf.org
Subject: Re: [Asrg] Some data on the validity of MAIL FROM addresses
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Sun, 18 May 2003 19:59:27 BST." <E19HTNX-0007oh-00@argon.connect.org.uk>
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Date: Sun, 18 May 2003 18:18:48 -0400

"Jon Kyme" <jrk@merseymail.com> wrote:
> While it's always nice to see some numbers, I'm not sure what
> these figures are actually measuring. For instance, yahoo will give a
> positive reply for a random mailbox in RCPT TO, delaying rejection until
> after DATA. I think the response after data will indicate if the account
> doesn't exist or has been (recently) terminated.

  Even worse, there is no proven connection between the spam and the
hotmail/yahoo account which is allegedly the sender.  The data are
entirely consistent with spammers using lists of verified email
addresses to forge 'From:' lines.

  This isn't to say that the numbers aren't meaningful, they are.  But
it's difficult to know exactly what they mean.

  Alan DeKok.
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