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HeyyDude@ao*.co* wrote: > the implications of this false > posting is scary. > > Can someone tell me how it is possible to do this? I complained already to > the AOL people, and they said they're working on it. It's a known shortcoming of the SMTP protocol used in the Internet. While the mail server will make certain that only the PROPER person can READ someone's mailbox, there is NOT checking in the mail servers with respect to the "FROM:" information. In other words, anyone can change their "FROM:" field to anything they please and post messages to their mail server. The mail server will dutifully post these messages. Only by examining the complete messages headers can one at least track down the originating host and from there identify whether the sender is "plausible" or not. For the longest time my messages were posted through "aschmidt@ni*.ne*" but I decided that I wanted to receive my replies to my primary CompuServe address. I simply specified my CompuServe internet address as the "From:" field in my mail reader and voila, all my message appeared to come from Compuserve. I'd be REALLY interested in how America Online believes that they can "FIX" this problem. It's not a problem - it's design, although a poor one. Best Regards Andy Schmidt [NJ] CompuServe: 73467,2574 * AOL: ASchmidt1 * GENIE: A.Schmidt1 * MSN: Andy_Schmidt http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/andy_schmidt/
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