Mail blocking (was Re: more on IIJ "Improves" their service)

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Date: November 24, 2006 11:34:57 AM EST
To: dave () farber net
Cc: lauren () vortex com
Subject: Mail blocking (was Re: [IP] more on IIJ "Improves" their  
service)


Dave,

As we've discussed here *many* times, the key reason for wanting
to run your own SMTP servers is for control over your own
mail, especially security and privacy.  Given that most e-mail
is still not encrypted at the user message level, the use of
opportunistic encryption (such as STARTTLS) at the message
transport layer is extremely useful.  However, this requires
direct server public connectivity, generally on port 25, not
port 587.

The use of third party servers for transiting e-mail (be they your
own ISP's or outside services), while providing some conveniences
and in some cases special features, still negates the key advantages
of direct connectivity, particularly the privacy aspects.  The choice
of using these services (or not) should be up to the user, not
dictated by arbitrary ISP policies.

I won't get into the port 25 vs. spam vs. user control argument here
yet again, other than to note my original "Tripoli" white paper from
several years ago ( http://www.pfir.org/tripoli-overview ).

(I'm waiting for retorts from the usual suspects...)

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () vortex com or lauren () pfir org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
   - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, IOIC
   - International Open Internet Coalition - http://www.ioic.net
Founder, CIFIP
   - California Initiative For Internet Privacy - http://www.cifip.org
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
DayThink: http://daythink.vortex.com



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