Meng Wong's Perspectives on Antispam

netscoop writes "CircleID is running an interesting blog by Meng Wong, best known as the lead developer of the anti-spam authentication scheme, SPF. While touching on various recent hot issues, Meng has this to say about phishing: 'The final solution to the phishing problem requires that people use a whitelist-only, default-deny paradigm for email. Many people already subscribe to default-deny for IM and VoIP, but there is a cultural resistance to whitelist-only email -- email is perceived as the medium of least reserve. I believe that we must move to a default-deny model for email to solve phishing; at the same time we must preserve the openness that made email the killer app in the first place. The tension between these poles creates a tremendous opportunity for innovation and social good if we get things right, and for shattering failure if we get things wrong.' Right or wrong, definitely worth a read."

Comments

Racist!!

[EmbeddedJanitor]

People dumb enough to get phished probably think that whitelisting is something to do with the KluKluxKlan.

Re:Meh.

[2008]

In the end, it is at times absolutely necessary that complete strangers can contact us without prior warning. If we don't have email for this role, then we need something similar to replace it.

Now, I'm no historian, but I've heard that in the past there was a government provided courier service which would deliver messages on paper for a small fee. Perhaps that would work if we reimplemented it?

Although, being serious, this lacks the (potential) anonymity of email, and involves giving out your physical address. Maybe we can persuade the postal service to provide free, (almost-)anonymous PO Box numbers?