AOL Tests Sender Permitted From / E-mail Caller ID

securitas writes "ZDNet reports that AOL is testing Sender Permitted From (SPF), 'an antispam filter intended to accurately trace the origin of e-mail messages.' AOL is performing the widescale SPF test with its 33 million subscribers worldwide. The system works by letting recipients use the SPF record to cross-check DNS data associated with AOL's IP addresses and confirm that the message originated from AOL's servers. The system is one of three competing e-mail authentication protocols. The other IP-identifying protocols are the Designated Mailers Protocol (DMP) and Reverse Mail Exchange (RME/RMX). All systems alter the DNS database to let e-mail servers publish the IP addresses that they use to send e-mail."

Comments

Doesn't protect against cracked computers

[h2oliu]

The biggest weakness of this system is that it doesn't protect against some user's system sitting on a broadband DSL/Modem line that has a Trojan Horse used to e-mail the spam. AOL's system probably would only encourage more viruses/worm designed to make computers email relays.

Of course if all non-business accounts were prevented from hosting an SMTP server that would help solve that problem, but I don't think that would go over very well with the Slashdot crowd. I'm not even sure where I stand on that issue.

Re:Still don't get it....

[UnknowingFool]

Seriously. Are you people really getting so much spam every day that the "delete" button just doesn't do it for you?

I think the problem is larger than the few annoying emails people get everyday. There's two things to consider.

1) Cummatively, spam is not just a headache but can be resource draining. Getting 10 or so a day for ten days if I don't check email leads to 100 emails. It would be one thing if it affected me but I'm not the only one that uses my mail server or ISP. It bogs down the mail server that I use whether it's my work email or my personal one. At work, my company has to dedicate resources to fight spam which costs companies money. My only effective choice right now is to abandon my email address every year so I don't get spam for a while.

2) Spam is not discrimating. Offers that are sexual in nature may be innocuous to me, but for parents that's another matter. They want their kids to learn email but can't do much to protect them from this content besides not use email.