[Asrg] Round 2 of the DNSBL BCP

[Matt Sergeant]

On 1-Apr-08, at 1:07 PM, Chris Lewis wrote:

> 2.1.  Transparency
>
>    A DNSBL SHOULD carefully describe the criteria which are the cause
>    for adding, and the criteria for removing an IP address or domain
>    name on the list.

Here we talk about IP addresses or domain names. I think we should  
stick with "Listing" or "Entry".

And did you add something somewhere about how a Listing/Entry might  
map to >1 "thing" in the list? e.g. a range/ASN/whatever?

> 2.2.1.  Listings SHOULD Be Temporary

Much improved.

> 2.2.3.  Removals SHOULD Be Prompt

Also much improved.

> 3.3.  DNSBLs SHOULD Provide Operational Flags
>
>    Most DNSBLs follow a convention of entries for IPs in  
> 127.0.0.0/8 to
>    provide online indication of whether the DNSBL is operational.  In
>    other words, the result of a DNS lookup will be in the range of
>    127.0.0.1 through 127.0.0.255.

I don't think this "in other words" fits. The first talks about  
operational entries, the second talks of results. And the first talks  
of a /8 and the latter the /24.

>   Many DNSBLs arrange to have a query
>    of 127.0.0.2 return an A record indicating that the IP is  
> listed, and
>    a query of 127.0.0.1 return no A record (NXDOMAIN).  When both of
>    these indicators are present, this indicates that the DNSBL is
>    functioning normally.  See [DNSBL-EMAIL].
>
>    Other results, such as 127.0.0.3, may have different meanings.   
> This
>    operational flag usage and meaning SHOULD be published on the  
> DNSBL's
>
>
>
> Lewis & Sergeant        Expires September 2, 2008               
> [Page 10]
> Internet-Draft                  DNSBL BCP                     March  
> 2008
>
>
>    web site.
>
>    Some mail systems are unable to differentiate between these various
>    results or flags, however, so a public DNSBL MUST NOT include
>    opposing or widely different meanings -- such as 127.0.0.23 for
>    "sends good mail" and 127.0.0.99 for "sends bad mail" -- within the
>    same DNS zone.

Not sure why this is a MUST NOT. If people are dumb enough to use a  
mixed list in a broken way they get what they deserve. What's the  
justification?

Matt.


______________________________________________________________________
This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.
For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email 
______________________________________________________________________