[Exim] Exim and RFC 2821 compliance

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Author: Nils Puhlmann
Date:  
To: exim-users
Subject: [Exim] Exim and RFC 2821 compliance
I have a question in regards to the RFC 2821 compliance of Exim.
It seems that Exim blocks messages with an empty return-path.
For example this from the error log:
F=<> rejected after DATA: syntax error in 'From:' header
>when scanning for sender: missing or malformed local part in "" AV
>Service" <>"
>Envelope-from: <>

But RFC 2821 says explicitly in chapter 3.7 relaying:
One way to prevent loops in error reporting is to specify a null
reverse-path
in the MAIL command of a notification message. When such a message
is transmitted the reverse-path MUST be set to null (see section
4.5.5 for additional discussion). A MAIL command with a null
reverse-path appears as follows:

      MAIL FROM:<>


As discussed in section 2.4.1, a relay SMTP has no need to inspect or
act upon the headers or body of the message data and MUST NOT do so
except to add its own "Received:" header (section 4.4) and,
optionally, to attempt to detect looping in the mail system (see
section 6.2).

So now I wonder if Exim really is RFC compliant in this regard or not?

Anyone having any input or feedback to that?

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Nils Puhlmann <npuhlmann@???>

- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP),
Certified Novell Instructor (CNI), Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT),
Netscape/Iplanet Solution Expert, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA),
Check Point Certified Security Engineer (CCSE Firewall-1) -

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