[dmarc-ietf] Domains

[Joseph Brennan <[e-mail]>]

I want to ask again why DMARC should consider any domain other than
the one in the Header From. The purpose of DMARC should be stated
right at the top of the proposed standard. It is intended to control
use of a domain in the Header From. If the Header From has
[e-mail], the DMARC record for _dmarc.example.com should
apply.

It does not make sense to me to say that if the Header From is
[e-mail], and there is no _dmarc.alpha.example.com
record, then recipient systems should continue to look for
_dmarc.example.com and apply the dmarc rule there. I know of no other
standard that requires this type of relationship. This is something
new. It will require administrators to continually check what their
sub- and supra-domains are doing in order to escape interference by
DMARC records they did not create. I think this is unreasonable. Only
domains interested in applying DMARC should be involved with DMARC.
Others should be able to do what they want. I know that otherwise will
out rule out DMARC for the "columbia.edu" domain that I administer.


-- 
Joseph Brennan
Lead, Email and Systems Applications
Columbia University Information Technology