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Re: exim4 authentication in etch? - SUCCESS!



On Tue,07.Oct.08, 10:22:18, Thomas H. George wrote:

[snip security concerns]

> Should I worry about this?

The SMTP (used by exim) and POP (used by fetchmail) protocols are not 
very secure by default, which is probably one of the reasons we now have 
such a huge problem with spam. Only recently more and more ISPs are 
using the option to tunnel these protocols inside an encrypted 
connection (SSL, TLS, whatever).

I'm not familiar with Iceape, but as far as I know, most GUI mail 
clients will default to using non-secure connections, unless 
specifically configured to use secure connections (but the server has to 
support it as well). This means that anyone on the internet can "listen" 
to the traffic between you and the server and snoop your passwords and 
the entire mails.

OTOH, you are just another needle in a huge haystack and I doubt anyone 
(except maybe the NSA or similar entities) has the means to watch all 
such traffic.

Personally I do appreciate when the ISPs are using the security options 
available, even if it's just to cut down on the spam.

Regards,
Andrei
-- 
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
(Albert Einstein)

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