Re: [dmarc-ietf] Fwd: I-D Action: draft-ietf-dmarc-psd-10.txt

[Dave Crocker <[e-mail]>]

On 1/29/2021 12:15 PM, Murray S. Kucherawy wrote:
> On Fri, Jan 29, 2021 at 7:51 AM Dave Crocker <[e-mail] 
> <mailto:[e-mail]>> wrote:
>
>
>>     Abstract
>>
>>         DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and
>>         Conformance) is a scalable mechanism by which a mail-originating
>>         organization can express domain-level policies and preferences for
>>         message validation, disposition, and reporting, that a mail-receiving
>>         organization can use to improve mail handling.  The design of DMARC
>>         presumes that domain names represent either nodes in the tree below
>>         which registrations occur, or nodes where registrations have
>     DMARC does not have 'registrations'.
>
>
> It's referring to domain name registrations, not DMARC registrations.
>
>     Also the occur/occured contrast has no obvious meaning to me. 
>     Really, I have no idea what's intended by it.
>
> "exist"?
> "take place"?
> "are made"?
> "are done"?

The issue wasn't synonyms but semantics.  'registrations occurred' has 
no obvious DMARC meaning.

unless, perhaps, the meaning is 'domain names exist', but that still 
doesn't explain the contrast being drawn.


>
>>         occurred; it does not permit a domain name to have both of these
>     "both" of what?  registration?
>
>
> It's describing properties of nodes in the domain name tree. DMARC's 
> current design stipulates that every node is either (a) a node below 
> which registrations can occur, or (b) a node at which a registration 
> has occurred.  An example of the former is "org", and an example of 
> the latter is "ietf.org <http://ietf.org>" and its entire subtree.

DMARC does not have 'registrations'.

The word in used in the spec as:

"


    3 <https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7489#section-3>. Terminology and
    Definitions

Domain Owner:  An entity or organization that owns a DNS domain.  The
       term "owns" here indicates that the entity or organization being
       referenced holds the registration of that DNS domain."


and:


"


      3.2 <https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7489#section-3.2>.
      Organizational Domain



    The Organizational Domain is determined using the following
    algorithm:

    1.  Acquire a "public suffix" list, i.e., a list of DNS domain names
        reserved for registrations. "

(The later reference to the Tag Registry is presumably irrelevant here.)


>
>>         properties simultaneously.  Since its deployment in 2015, use of
>>         DMARC has shown a clear need for the ability to express policy for
>>         these domains as well.
>     Which domains?
>
>
> The intent is to augment DMARC's ability to describe the domain name 
> tree such that a node can be both (a) and (b) at the same time, for 
> the purposes of policy expression.  So those are the nodes (domains) 
> of interest.


My frustration is that a document that reaches wg Last Call should not 
have language that is this confusing, especially about its fundamentals 
and especially given how much revision it has already gotten.



d/

-- 
Dave Crocker
[e-mail]
408.329.0791

Volunteer, Silicon Valley Chapter
American Red Cross
[e-mail]