[Coco] Fw: EarthLink Virus Blocker Alert:

[John R. Hogerhuis]

The way email works, anyone can send a message with someone else's email
address on it. It is not authenticated in any way.

There are efforts afoot to have SMTP receivers validate SMTP senders
against DNS records, called "Sender Policy Framework (SPF)" or "Sender
ID."

I'm no fan of the concept because it breaks the way email forwarding
works (I have a redirecting pobox.com address). Also there seems to be
concern that Microsoft may hold patents covering part or all of the
technology and no one wants any one private interest to have control
over a fundamental protocol like email.

-- John.