On Nov 2, 2008, at 10:16 AM, Wietse Venema wrote:

> Thiyaga:
>> Hi Wietse,
>>
>> Thanks a lot for your comments!
>>
>>> This looks like a standard replay attack.  Such technique can't be  
>>> used to send SPAM on behalf of domains that don't sign SPAM (e.g.,  
>>> porcupine.org).  If a domain is willing to sign SPAM, then they  
>>> deserve that all their messages are handled with great prejudice.
>>
>>
>> Yes, I agree. It can't be used to send SPAM on behalf of domains  
>> that don't sign SPAM.
>>
>> But if it signs SPAM unknowingly (which may happen in large ISPs --
>
> If a domain is willing to sign SPAM, then they deserve that all  
> their messages are handled with great prejudice.

I do not agree.  As long as the "on-behalf-of" field within the DKIM  
signature accurately reflects what a domain authenticates when  
accepting a message for signing, then only messages signed with that  
identifier should be at risk of becoming blocked.

A large ISP's domain is unlikely to find the entirety of their  
messages blocked.  This is why ADSP is so destructive.  ADSP impairs a  
domain from always asserting an accurate "on-behalf-of" field whenever  
the identity differs from what is found in the From header.   ADSP  
should have been defined to only require a signature from the domain  
of the From header and not require the use of  an Author Signature.

> DKIM provides domain-level signatures. It is not a replacement for  
> user-level authentication systems such as S/MIME or PGP.

Agreed.  Which is why the DKIM signature should not be forced to be  
"on-behalf-of" the From header field!   Any DKIM signature should be  
able to assert opaque identities only understood by the signing  
domain.  DKIM is _not_ about assuring the identity of the author as  
ADSP pretends.

-Doug



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