From: Rich Graves <llurch@networking.stanford.edu>
Date: Tue, 21 May 1996 19:28:21 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: An alternative to remailer shutdowns
In-Reply-To: <0lcIFJS00YUzEZ8AMk@andrew.cmu.edu>
Message-ID: <Pine.GUL.3.93.960520223851.489X-100000@Networking.Stanford.EDU>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


On Tue, 21 May 1996, Declan B. McCullagh wrote:

> An alternative I am considering would reduce the utility of the remailer
> while still allowing these "consensual" uses to continue.  Presently the
> remailers deal with abuse via "block lists", sets of addresses that mail
> can't be sent to.  Generally these are created when someone complains
> about some mail they have received.  By setting up blocking, at least
> they will not get harrassing anonymous mail once they have complained.
> But in some cases, as in the case that is causing me headaches now, even
> one message is too much.
> 
> My thought is to turn the block list concept on its head, and make it a
> "permit list".  Simply, the remailer will only send mail to people who
> have voluntarily indicated their willingness to receive it.

How would you know that the message you received is actually from them? I
don't see how this would really help.

I like the "knock-knock" approach, though it would of necessity impose
load. If someone has an anonymous message waiting, send them a simple note
with instructions on how to retrieve it.

 From: Anonymous Remailer <hfinney@shell.portal.com>
 To: random person <somebody@there.com>
 
 An anonymous message is waiting for you. If you wish to receive this
 message, simply send an email message with [some unique string, maybe an
 MD5 hash of the actual message] in the body of a message to
 hfinney@shell.portal.com. The simplest way to do this is to reply to this
 message, quoting this text. 

I certainly think that limiting newsgroup posting would be prudent. It's
inexcusable that it's possible to use anonymous remailers to post
*forgeries* (see the smoking flames cross-posted to alt.syntax.tactical). 

-rich