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Network Security Security-Basics
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Re: Verifying E-Mail Addresses

Subject: Re: Verifying E-Mail Addresses
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 20:29:24 +0400
Hello,

Wednesday, October 25, 2006, 1:02:32 AM, you wrote:

Hello list,

Is there a way to verify that an e-mail address
(e.g."johnsmith@company.com") is valid and exists or does not exist
(is a fake e-mail address) without actually sending a message to that
address and awaiting the response?

Here's why this is a security issue. Our company administers a small
"municipal-type" 802.11 network where for limited open-access the only
form of ID we require is an e-mail address and a password. We simple
don't have the resources to send out e-mails and then have
verification and so forth. We are trying to prevent users from
entering fake addresses into our system. We want at least a small
amount of accountability.

We would like to be able to do a quick check, say query an IMAP, POP3,
or SMTP and check to see if there is actually an account at that
address without sending a verification e-mail and waiting for users to
click on a link or get something that bounces back. Does something
like that exist?

I do recognize that somebody can enter a valid e-mail address that
does not belong to them, but we are trying to address one issue at a
time. At this point we are just trying to prevent people who give us
"dude@dude.com" from getting on to our network.

Thanks,
John

If the mail  server supports it you can use such smtp commands as VRFY and
EXPN (i.e. VRFY username) and look for the answer (+200 Success).


-- 

 Roman Shirokov
 e-mail: insecure@yandex.ru
 http://securitybox.org.ru
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