Re: [exim4] mixed up about terminology
On Wed 08 Oct 2014 at 13:00:46 -0400, Jerry Stuckle wrote:
> On 10/8/2014 7:55 AM, Brian wrote:
> >
> > By definition an MTA will transport mail. It will do this for whatever
> > talks nicely to it (telnet or netcat would do). Exim has no idea whether
> > it is communicating with an MUA or an MTA and doesn't care. In fact, it
> > will happily listen on ports 25 and 587 at the same time.
> >
> > Mail submitted on either of these ports can require authentication or be
> > restricted to being allowed only from designated networks, such as a LAN.
> > Neither of these mechanisms is known to lead to an inherent insecurity.
>
> Yes, I know all of that, Brian. But you missed the entire meaning of
> the word "smarthost" as it applies to MTAs.
Nope. A smarthost *is* an MTA. My ISP has one; I have one; both talk to
netcat in fluent SMTP.
> And yes, there are many possible insecurities in an MTA configuration.
Indeed. Just as there are many ways to get run over crossing a busy road.
The trick is to avoid it happening.
> Does the term "open relay" mean anything?
I thought you knew what one is. Please see my other posts in this thread.
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