Re: POP handling commands given in wrong state

Randall Gellens <randy@Qualcomm.Com> Tue, 26 July 2011 14:45 UTC

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Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2011 07:35:42 -0700
To: Mykyta Yevstifeyev <evnikita2@gmail.com>, Paul Smith <paul@pscs.co.uk>
From: Randall Gellens <randy@Qualcomm.Com>
Subject: Re: POP handling commands given in wrong state
CC: ietf-pop3ext@imc.org, Alexey Melnikov <alexey.melnikov@isode.com>
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At 6:17 AM -0700 7/26/11, Randall Gellens wrote:

>  Per RFC 3206, the server should issue the AUTH-RESP-CODE capability 
> tag, indicating "that the server includes the AUTH response code 
> with any authentication error caused by a problem with the user's 
> credentials" and then in the case you cite, don't issue the AUTH 
> response code in an -ERR response to USER.
>
>  By issuing the AUTH response code and then not including the AUTH 
> response code, that indicates that the error has nothing to do with 
> the user's credentials.

Just to be clear, if the server issued AUTH-RESP-CODE, then the 
result to USER can be interpreted:
	+OK:			Accepted, proceed to PASS
	-ERR [AUTH]:		Failed, problem with user credentials (not 
likely with USER anyway)
	-ERR [SYS/TEMP]:	Failed due to temporary system problem, try again later
	-ERR [SYS/PERM]:	Failed due to permanent system problem, 
advise user to call for help
	-ERR:				No problem w/ credentials nor system, if you 
used TLS w/ cert, maybe authenticated already


-- 
Randall Gellens
Opinions are personal;    facts are suspect;    I speak for myself only
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