Toolkit

Story: Email experts search for 'less trusting' protocol

• 
• 

Aa always, when the guys who want to do the work tell you the work need to be done: beware.

SMTP is made non-trusting by DNSBLs and by fillters. It's clear these don't work well enough but it is not clear that they've been used adequately. The trust built into SMTP isn't the issue nearly as much as is the weak way in which countermeasures have been implemented. Make current countermeasures strong enough and spam will be defeated. (Yes, this is a self-fulfillling prophesy, hinging on the phrase "strong enough.")

Changing the protocol is a huge step and cannot be done until far in the future. It is far more sensible to concentrate on what can be done now and to do it. End spam and the issue of changing the protocol vanishes - as it should.

In addition to DNSBLs and filters it is both possible and overdue for those concerned about spam to work to end the abuse necessary for most spam to be delivered. That is an almost unexplored means of combatting spam. It is weak and ineffectual to simply block the abuse - to combat the abuse you must do more. As even individuals are capable of doing more on their home systems (using, e.g., Jackpot: http://jackpot.uk.net) thee is ample room for a greater attack on spam than now occurs.

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 

Full Talkback thread