aboutsummaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/RFC/rfc1460.txt
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorRob Funk <rfunk@funknet.net>2004-06-08 03:59:01 +0000
committerRob Funk <rfunk@funknet.net>2004-06-08 03:59:01 +0000
commitd78b61e3efaea197a6e5b2b72bf2981a9ed69461 (patch)
tree1704e13ce5d767d59868a2d5e834cb2e988ed90f /RFC/rfc1460.txt
parentd9e84e176fe538e110d9612f9832d69846e8d3e7 (diff)
downloadfetchmail-d78b61e3efaea197a6e5b2b72bf2981a9ed69461.tar.gz
fetchmail-d78b61e3efaea197a6e5b2b72bf2981a9ed69461.tar.bz2
fetchmail-d78b61e3efaea197a6e5b2b72bf2981a9ed69461.zip
Add files from ESR's dev directory that weren't under version control
svn path=/trunk/; revision=3881
Diffstat (limited to 'RFC/rfc1460.txt')
-rw-r--r--RFC/rfc1460.txt955
1 files changed, 955 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/RFC/rfc1460.txt b/RFC/rfc1460.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6177599
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RFC/rfc1460.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,955 @@
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Network Working Group M. Rose
+Request for Comments: 1460 Dover Beach Consulting, Inc.
+Obsoletes: 1225 June 1993
+
+
+ Post Office Protocol - Version 3
+
+
+Status of this Memo
+
+ This RFC specifies an IAB standards track protocol for the Internet
+ community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements.
+ Please refer to the current edition of the "IAB Official Protocol
+ Standards" for the standardization state and status of this protocol.
+ Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
+
+Overview
+
+ This memo is a revision to RFC 1225, a Draft Standard. It makes the
+ following changes from that document:
+
+ - the RPOP facility is removed;
+
+ - the optional APOP facility is added (which is in interoperable,
+ operational use in at least three implementations);
+
+ - a typo was corrected with respect to the interaction of LAST
+ and RSET;
+
+ - section numbers were added; and,
+
+ - an acknowledgements section was added.
+
+1. Introduction
+
+ On certain types of smaller nodes in the Internet it is often
+ impractical to maintain a message transport system (MTS). For
+ example, a workstation may not have sufficient resources (cycles,
+ disk space) in order to permit a SMTP server [RFC821] and associated
+ local mail delivery system to be kept resident and continuously
+ running.
+
+ Similarly, it may be expensive (or impossible) to keep a personal
+ computer interconnected to an IP-style network for long amounts of
+ time (the node is lacking the resource known as "connectivity").
+
+ Despite this, it is often very useful to be able to manage mail on
+ these smaller nodes, and they often support a user agent (UA) to aid
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 1]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ the tasks of mail handling. To solve this problem, a node which can
+ support an MTS entity offers a maildrop service to these less endowed
+ nodes. The Post Office Protocol - Version 3 (POP3) is intended to
+ permit a workstation to dynamically access a maildrop on a server
+ host in a useful fashion. Usually, this means that the POP3 is used
+ to allow a workstation to retrieve mail that the server is holding
+ for it.
+
+ For the remainder of this memo, the term "client host" refers to a
+ host making use of the POP3 service, while the term "server host"
+ refers to a host which offers the POP3 service.
+
+2. A Short Digression
+
+ This memo does not specify how a client host enters mail into the
+ transport system, although a method consistent with the philosophy of
+ this memo is presented here:
+
+ When the user agent on a client host wishes to enter a message
+ into the transport system, it establishes an SMTP connection to
+ its relay host (this relay host could be, but need not be, the
+ POP3 server host for the client host).
+
+ If this method is followed, then the client host appears to the MTS
+ as a user agent, and should NOT be regarded as a "trusted" MTS entity
+ in any sense whatsoever. This concept, along with the role of the
+ POP3 as a part of a split-UA model is discussed later in this memo.
+
+3. Basic Operation
+
+ Initially, the server host starts the POP3 service by listening on
+ TCP port 110. When a client host wishes to make use of the service,
+ it establishes a TCP connection with the server host. When the
+ connection is established, the POP3 server sends a greeting. The
+ client and POP3 server then exchange commands and responses
+ (respectively) until the connection is closed or aborted.
+
+ Commands in the POP3 consist of a keyword possibly followed by an
+ argument. All commands are terminated by a CRLF pair.
+
+ Responses in the POP3 consist of a success indicator and a keyword
+ possibly followed by additional information. All responses are
+ terminated by a CRLF pair. There are currently two success
+ indicators: positive ("+OK") and negative ("-ERR").
+
+ Responses to certain commands are multi-line. In these cases, which
+ are clearly indicated below, after sending the first line of the
+ response and a CRLF, any additional lines are sent, each terminated
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 2]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ by a CRLF pair. When all lines of the response have been sent, a
+ final line is sent, consisting of a termination octet (decimal code
+ 046, ".") and a CRLF pair. If any line of the multi-line response
+ begins with the termination octet, the line is "byte-stuffed" by
+ pre-pending the termination octet to that line of the response.
+
+ Hence a multi-line response is terminated with the five octets
+ "CRLF.CRLF". When examining a multi-line response, the client checks
+ to see if the line begins with the termination octet. If so and if
+ octets other than CRLF follow, the the first octet of the line (the
+ termination octet) is stripped away. If so and if CRLF immediately
+ follows the termination character, then the response from the POP
+ server is ended and the line containing ".CRLF" is not considered
+ part of the multi-line response.
+
+ A POP3 session progresses through a number of states during its
+ lifetime. Once the TCP connection has been opened and the POP3
+ server has sent the greeting, the session enters the AUTHORIZATION
+ state. In this state, the client must identify itself to the POP3
+ server. Once the client has successfully done this, the server
+ acquires resources associated with the client's maildrop, and the
+ session enters the TRANSACTION state. In this state, the client
+ requests actions on the part of the POP3 server. When the client has
+ finished its transactions, the session enters the UPDATE state. In
+ this state, the POP3 server releases any resources acquired during
+ the TRANSACTION state and says goodbye. The TCP connection is then
+ closed.
+
+4. The AUTHORIZATION State
+
+ Once the TCP connection has been opened by a POP3 client, the POP3
+ server issues a one line greeting. This can be any string terminated
+ by CRLF. An example might be:
+
+ S. +OK POP3 server ready
+
+ Note that this greeting is a POP3 reply. The POP3 server should
+ always give a positive response as the greeting.
+
+ The POP3 session is now in the AUTHORIZATION state. The client must
+ now issue the USER command. If the POP3 server responds with a
+ positive success indicator ("+OK"), then the client may issue either
+ the PASS command to complete the authorization, or the QUIT command
+ to terminate the POP3 session. If the POP3 server responds with a
+ negative success indicator ("-ERR") to the USER command, then the
+ client may either issue a new USER command or may issue the QUIT
+ command.
+
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 3]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ When the client issues the PASS command, the POP3 server uses the
+ argument pair from the USER and PASS commands to determine if the
+ client should be given access to the appropriate maildrop. If so,
+ the POP3 server then acquires an exclusive-access lock on the
+ maildrop. If the lock is successfully acquired, the POP3 server
+ parses the maildrop into individual messages (read note below),
+ determines the last message (if any) present in the maildrop that was
+ referenced by the RETR command, and responds with a positive success
+ indicator. The POP3 session now enters the TRANSACTION state. If
+ the lock can not be acquired or the client should is denied access to
+ the appropriate maildrop or the maildrop can't be parsed for some
+ reason, the POP3 server responds with a negative success indicator.
+ (If a lock was acquired but the POP3 server intends to respond with a
+ negative success indicator, the POP3 server must release the lock
+ prior to rejecting the command.) At this point, the client may
+ either issue a new USER command and start again, or the client may
+ issue the QUIT command.
+
+ NOTE: Minimal implementations of the POP3 need only be
+ able to break a maildrop into its component messages;
+ they need NOT be able to parse individual messages.
+ More advanced implementations may wish to have this
+ capability, for reasons discussed later.
+
+ After the POP3 server has parsed the maildrop into individual
+ messages, it assigns a message-id to each message, and notes the size
+ of the message in octets. The first message in the maildrop is
+ assigned a message-id of "1", the second is assigned "2", and so on,
+ so that the n'th message in a maildrop is assigned a message-id of
+ "n". In POP3 commands and responses, all message-id's and message
+ sizes are expressed in base-10 (i.e., decimal).
+
+ It sets the "highest number accessed" to be that of the last message
+ referenced by the RETR command.
+
+ Here are summaries for the three POP3 commands discussed thus far:
+
+ USER name
+ Arguments: a server specific user-id (required)
+ Restrictions: may only be given in the AUTHORIZATION
+ state after the POP3 greeting or after an
+ unsuccessful USER or PASS command
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK name is welcome here
+ -ERR never heard of name
+ Examples:
+ C: USER mrose
+ S: +OK mrose is a real hoopy frood
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 4]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ ...
+ C: USER frated
+ S: -ERR sorry, frated doesn't get his mail here
+
+ PASS string
+ Arguments: a server/user-id specific password (required)
+ Restrictions: may only be given in the AUTHORIZATION
+ state after a successful USER command
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK maildrop locked and ready
+ -ERR invalid password
+ -ERR unable to lock maildrop
+ Examples:
+ C: USER mrose
+ S: +OK mrose is a real hoopy frood
+ C: PASS secret
+ S: +OK mrose's maildrop has 2 messages
+ (320 octets)
+ ...
+ C: USER mrose
+ S: +OK mrose is a real hoopy frood
+ C: PASS secret
+ S: -ERR unable to lock mrose's maildrop, file
+ already locked
+
+ QUIT
+ Arguments: none
+ Restrictions: none
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK
+ Examples:
+ C: QUIT
+ S: +OK dewey POP3 server signing off
+
+5. The TRANSACTION State
+
+ Once the client has successfully identified itself to the POP3 server
+ and the POP3 server has locked and burst the appropriate maildrop,
+ the POP3 session is now in the TRANSACTION state. The client may now
+ issue any of the following POP3 commands repeatedly. After each
+ command, the POP3 server issues a response. Eventually, the client
+ issues the QUIT command and the POP3 session enters the UPDATE state.
+
+ Here are the POP3 commands valid in the TRANSACTION state:
+
+ STAT
+ Arguments: none
+ Restrictions: may only be given in the TRANSACTION state.
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 5]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ Discussion:
+
+ The POP3 server issues a positive response with a line
+ containing information for the maildrop. This line is
+ called a "drop listing" for that maildrop.
+
+ In order to simplify parsing, all POP3 servers are
+ required to use a certain format for drop listings.
+ The first octets present must indicate the number of
+ messages in the maildrop. Following this is the size
+ of the maildrop in octets. This memo makes no
+ requirement on what follows the maildrop size.
+ Minimal implementations should just end that line of
+ the response with a CRLF pair. More advanced
+ implementations may include other information.
+
+ NOTE: This memo STRONGLY discourages
+ implementations from supplying additional
+ information in the drop listing. Other,
+ optional, facilities are discussed later on
+ which permit the client to parse the messages
+ in the maildrop.
+
+ Note that messages marked as deleted are not counted in
+ either total.
+
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK nn mm
+ Examples:
+ C: STAT
+ S: +OK 2 320
+
+ LIST [msg]
+ Arguments: a message-id (optionally) If a message-id is
+ given, it may NOT refer to a message marked as
+ deleted.
+ Restrictions: may only be given in the TRANSACTION state.
+ Discussion:
+
+ If an argument was given and the POP3 server issues a
+ positive response with a line containing information
+ for that message. This line is called a "scan listing"
+ for that message.
+
+ If no argument was given and the POP3 server issues a
+ positive response, then the response given is
+ multi-line. After the initial +OK, for each message
+ in the maildrop, the POP3 server responds with a line
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 6]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ containing information for that message. This line
+ is called a "scan listing" for that message.
+
+ In order to simplify parsing, all POP3 servers are
+ required to use a certain format for scan listings.
+ The first octets present must be the message-id of
+ the message. Following the message-id is the size of
+ the message in octets. This memo makes no requirement
+ on what follows the message size in the scan listing.
+ Minimal implementations should just end that line of
+ the response with a CRLF pair. More advanced
+ implementations may include other information, as
+ parsed from the message.
+
+ NOTE: This memo STRONGLY discourages
+ implementations from supplying additional
+ information in the scan listing. Other, optional,
+ facilities are discussed later on which permit
+ the client to parse the messages in the maildrop.
+
+ Note that messages marked as deleted are not listed.
+
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK scan listing follows
+ -ERR no such message
+ Examples:
+ C: LIST
+ S: +OK 2 messages (320 octets)
+ S: 1 120
+ S: 2 200
+ S: .
+ ...
+ C: LIST 2
+ S: +OK 2 200
+ ...
+ C: LIST 3
+ S: -ERR no such message, only 2 messages in
+ maildrop
+
+ RETR msg
+ Arguments: a message-id (required) This message-id may
+ NOT refer to a message marked as deleted.
+ Restrictions: may only be given in the TRANSACTION state.
+ Discussion:
+
+ If the POP3 server issues a positive response, then the
+ response given is multi-line. After the initial +OK,
+ the POP3 server sends the message corresponding to the
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 7]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ given message-id, being careful to byte-stuff the
+ termination character (as with all multi-line
+ responses).
+
+ If the number associated with this message is higher
+ than the "highest number accessed" in the maildrop, the
+ POP3 server updates the "highest number accessed" to
+ the number associated with this message.
+
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK message follows
+ -ERR no such message
+ Examples:
+ C: RETR 1
+ S: +OK 120 octets
+ S: <the POP3 server sends the entire message here>
+ S: .
+
+ DELE msg
+ Arguments: a message-id (required) This message-id
+ may NOT refer to a message marked as deleted.
+ Restrictions: may only be given in the TRANSACTION state.
+ Discussion:
+
+ The POP3 server marks the message as deleted. Any
+ future reference to the message-id associated with the
+ message in a POP3 command generates an error. The POP3
+ server does not actually delete the message until the
+ POP3 session enters the UPDATE state.
+
+ If the number associated with this message is higher
+ than the "highest number accessed" in the maildrop,
+ the POP3 server updates the "highest number accessed"
+ to the number associated with this message.
+
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK message deleted
+ -ERR no such message
+ Examples:
+ C: DELE 1
+ S: +OK message 1 deleted
+ ...
+ C: DELE 2
+ S: -ERR message 2 already deleted
+
+ NOOP
+ Arguments: none
+ Restrictions: may only be given in the TRANSACTION state.
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 8]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ Discussion:
+
+ The POP3 server does nothing, it merely replies with a
+ positive response.
+
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK
+ Examples:
+ C: NOOP
+ S: +OK
+
+ LAST
+ Arguments: none
+ Restrictions: may only be issued in the TRANSACTION state.
+ Discussion:
+
+ The POP3 server issues a positive response with a line
+ containing the highest message number which accessed.
+ Zero is returned in case no message in the maildrop has
+ been accessed during previous transactions. A client
+ may thereafter infer that messages, if any, numbered
+ greater than the response to the LAST command are
+ messages not yet accessed by the client.
+
+ Possible Response:
+ +OK nn
+
+ Examples:
+ C: STAT
+ S: +OK 4 320
+ C: LAST
+ S: +OK 1
+ C: RETR 3
+ S: +OK 120 octets
+ S: <the POP3 server sends the entire message
+ here>
+ S: .
+ C: LAST
+ S: +OK 3
+ C: DELE 2
+ S: +OK message 2 deleted
+ C: LAST
+ S: +OK 3
+ C: RSET
+ S: +OK
+ C: LAST
+ S: +OK 0
+
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 9]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ RSET
+ Arguments: none
+ Restrictions: may only be given in the TRANSACTION
+ state.
+ Discussion:
+
+ If any messages have been marked as deleted by the POP3
+ server, they are unmarked. The POP3 server then
+ replies with a positive response. In addition, the
+ "highest number accessed" is also reset to zero.
+
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK
+ Examples:
+ C: RSET
+ S: +OK maildrop has 2 messages (320 octets)
+
+6. The UPDATE State
+
+ When the client issues the QUIT command from the TRANSACTION state,
+ the POP3 session enters the UPDATE state. (Note that if the client
+ issues the QUIT command from the AUTHORIZATION state, the POP3
+ session terminates but does NOT enter the UPDATE state.)
+
+ QUIT
+ Arguments: none
+ Restrictions: none
+ Discussion:
+
+ The POP3 server removes all messages marked as deleted
+ from the maildrop. It then releases the
+ exclusive-access lock on the maildrop and replies as
+ to the success of these operations. The TCP
+ connection is then closed.
+
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK
+ Examples:
+ C: QUIT
+ S: +OK dewey POP3 server signing off (maildrop
+ empty)
+ ...
+ C: QUIT
+ S: +OK dewey POP3 server signing off (2 messages
+ left)
+ ...
+
+
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 10]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+7. Optional POP3 Commands
+
+ The POP3 commands discussed above must be supported by all minimal
+ implementations of POP3 servers.
+
+ The optional POP3 commands described below permit a POP3 client
+ greater freedom in message handling, while preserving a simple POP3
+ server implementation.
+
+ NOTE: This memo STRONGLY encourages implementations to
+ support these commands in lieu of developing augmented
+ drop and scan listings. In short, the philosophy of
+ this memo is to put intelligence in the part of the
+ POP3 client and not the POP3 server.
+
+ TOP msg n
+ Arguments: a message-id (required) and a number. This
+ message-id may NOT refer to a message marked as
+ deleted.
+ Restrictions: may only be given in the TRANSACTION state.
+ Discussion:
+
+ If the POP3 server issues a positive response, then
+ the response given is multi-line. After the initial
+ +OK, the POP3 server sends the headers of the message,
+ the blank line separating the headers from the body,
+ and then the number of lines indicated message's body,
+ being careful to byte-stuff the termination character
+ (as with all multi-line responses).
+
+ Note that if the number of lines requested by the POP3
+ client is greater than than the number of lines in the
+ body, then the POP3 server sends the entire message.
+
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK top of message follows
+ -ERR no such message
+ Examples:
+ C: TOP 10
+ S: +OK
+ S: <the POP3 server sends the headers of the
+ message, a blank line, and the first 10 lines
+ of the body of the message>
+ S: .
+ ...
+ C: TOP 100
+ S: -ERR no such message
+
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 11]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ APOP name digest
+ Arguments: a server specific user-id and a digest string
+ (both required).
+ Restrictions: may only be given in the AUTHORIZATION
+ state after the POP3 greeting
+ Discussion:
+
+ Normally, each POP3 session starts with a USER/PASS
+ exchange. This results in a server/user-id specific
+ password being sent in the clear on the network. For
+ intermittent use of POP3, this may not introduce a
+ sizable risk. However, many POP3 client
+ implementations connect to the POP3 server on a
+ regular basis -- to check for new mail. Further the
+ interval of session initiation may be on the order of
+ five minutes. Hence, the risk of password capture is
+ greatly enhanced.
+
+ An alternate method of authentication is required
+ which provides for both origin authentication and
+ replay protection, but which does not involve sending
+ a password in the clear over the network. The APOP
+ command provides this functionality.
+
+ A POP3 server which implements the APOP command will
+ include a timestamp in its banner greeting. The
+ syntax of the timestamp corresponds to the "msg-id"
+ in [RFC822], and MUST be different each time the POP3
+ server issues a banner greeting. For example, on a
+ UNIX implementation in which a separate UNIX process
+ is used for each instance of a POP3 server, the
+ syntax of the timestamp might be:
+
+ <process-ID.clock@hostname>
+
+ where "process-ID" is the decimal value of the
+ process's PID, clock is the decimal value of the
+ system clock, and hostname is the fully-qualified
+ domain-name corresponding to the host where the POP3
+ server is running.
+
+ The POP3 client makes note of this timestamp, and
+ then issues the APOP command. The "name" parameter
+ has identical semantics to the "name" parameter of
+ the USER command. The "digest" parameter is
+ calculated by applying the MD5 algorithm [RFC1321] to
+ a string consisting of the timestamp (including
+ angle-brackets) followed by a shared secret. This
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 12]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ shared secret is a string known only to the POP3
+ client and server. Great care should be taken to
+ prevent unauthorized disclosure of the secret, as
+ knowledge of the secret will allow any entity to
+ successfully masquerade as the named user. The
+ "digest" parameter itself is a 16-octet value which
+ is sent in hexadecimal format, using lower-case ASCII
+ characters.
+
+ When the POP3 server receives the APOP command, it
+ verifies the digest provided. If the digest is
+ correct, the POP3 server issues a positive response,
+ and the POP3 session enters the TRANSACTION state.
+ Otherwise, a negative response is issued and the POP3
+ session remains in the AUTHORIZATION state.
+
+ Possible Responses:
+ +OK maildrop locked and ready
+ -ERR permission denied
+ Examples:
+ S: +OK POP3 server ready <1896.697170952@dbc.mtview.ca.us>
+ C: APOP mrose c4c9334bac560ecc979e58001b3e22fb
+ S: +OK maildrop has 1 message (369 octets)
+
+ In this example, the shared secret is the string "tanstaaf".
+ Hence, the MD5 algorithm is applied to the string
+
+ <1896.697170952@dbc.mtview.ca.us>tanstaaf
+
+ which produces a digest value of
+
+ c4c9334bac560ecc979e58001b3e22fb
+
+8. POP3 Command Summary
+
+ Minimal POP3 Commands:
+ USER name valid in the AUTHORIZATION state
+ PASS string
+ QUIT
+
+ STAT valid in the TRANSACTION state
+ LIST [msg]
+ RETR msg
+ DELE msg
+ NOOP
+ LAST
+ RSET
+
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 13]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ QUIT valid in the UPDATE state
+
+ Optional POP3 Commands:
+ APOP name digest valid in the AUTHORIZATION state
+
+ TOP msg n valid in the TRANSACTION state
+
+ POP3 Replies:
+ +OK
+ -ERR
+
+ Note that with the exception of the STAT command, the reply given
+ by the POP3 server to any command is significant only to "+OK"
+ and "-ERR". Any text occurring after this reply may be ignored
+ by the client.
+
+9. Example POP3 Session
+
+ S: <wait for connection on TCP port 110>
+ ...
+ C: <open connection>
+ S: +OK POP3 server ready <1896.697170952@dbc.mtview.ca.us>
+ C: APOP mrose c4c9334bac560ecc979e58001b3e22fb
+ S: +OK mrose's maildrop has 2 messages (320 octets)
+ C: STAT
+ S: +OK 2 320
+ C: LIST
+ S: +OK 2 messages (320 octets)
+ S: 1 120
+ S: 2 200
+ S: .
+ C: RETR 1
+ S: +OK 120 octets
+ S: <the POP3 server sends message 1>
+ S: .
+ C: DELE 1
+ S: +OK message 1 deleted
+ C: RETR 2
+ S: +OK 200 octets
+ S: <the POP3 server sends message 2>
+ S: .
+ C: DELE 2
+ S: +OK message 2 deleted
+ C: QUIT
+ S: +OK dewey POP3 server signing off (maildrop empty)
+ C: <close connection>
+ S: <wait for next connection>
+
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 14]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+10. Message Format
+
+ All messages transmitted during a POP3 session are assumed to conform
+ to the standard for the format of Internet text messages [RFC822].
+
+ It is important to note that the byte count for a message on the
+ server host may differ from the octet count assigned to that message
+ due to local conventions for designating end-of-line. Usually,
+ during the AUTHORIZATION state of the POP3 session, the POP3 client
+ can calculate the size of each message in octets when it parses the
+ maildrop into messages. For example, if the POP3 server host
+ internally represents end-of-line as a single character, then the
+ POP3 server simply counts each occurrence of this character in a
+ message as two octets. Note that lines in the message which start
+ with the termination octet need not be counted twice, since the POP3
+ client will remove all byte-stuffed termination characters when it
+ receives a multi-line response.
+
+11. The POP and the Split-UA model
+
+ The underlying paradigm in which the POP3 functions is that of a
+ split-UA model. The POP3 client host, being a remote PC based
+ workstation, acts solely as a client to the message transport system.
+ It does not provide delivery/authentication services to others.
+ Hence, it is acting as a UA, on behalf of the person using the
+ workstation. Furthermore, the workstation uses SMTP to enter mail
+ into the MTS.
+
+ In this sense, we have two UA functions which interface to the
+ message transport system: Posting (SMTP) and Retrieval (POP3). The
+ entity which supports this type of environment is called a split-UA
+ (since the user agent is split between two hosts which must
+ interoperate to provide these functions).
+
+ ASIDE: Others might term this a remote-UA instead.
+ There are arguments supporting the use of both terms.
+
+ This memo has explicitly referenced TCP as the underlying transport
+ agent for the POP3. This need not be the case. In the MZnet split-
+ UA, for example, personal micro-computer systems are used which do
+ not have IP-style networking capability [MZnet]. To connect to the
+ POP3 server host, a PC establishes a terminal connection using some
+ simple protocol (PhoneNet). A program on the PC drives the
+ connection, first establishing a login session as a normal user. The
+ login shell for this pseudo-user is a program which drives the other
+ half of the terminal protocol and communicates with one of two
+ servers. Although MZnet can support several PCs, a single pseudo-
+ user login is present on the server host. The user-id and password
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 15]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+ for this pseudo-user login is known to all members of MZnet. Hence,
+ the first action of the login shell, after starting the terminal
+ protocol, is to demand a USER/PASS authorization pair from the PC.
+ This second level of authorization is used to ascertain who is
+ interacting with the MTS. Although the server host is deemed to
+ support a "trusted" MTS entity, PCs in MZnet are not. Naturally, the
+ USER/PASS authorization pair for a PC is known only to the owner of
+ the PC (in theory, at least).
+
+ After successfully verifying the identity of the client, a modified
+ SMTP server is started, and the PC posts mail with the server host.
+ After the QUIT command is given to the SMTP server and it terminates,
+ a modified POP3 server is started, and the PC retrieves mail from the
+ server host. After the QUIT command is given to the POP3 server and
+ it terminates, the login shell for the pseudo-user terminates the
+ terminal protocol and logs the job out. The PC then closes the
+ terminal connection to the server host.
+
+ The SMTP server used by MZnet is modified in the sense that it knows
+ that it's talking to a user agent and not a "trusted" entity in the
+ message transport system. Hence, it does performs the validation
+ activities normally performed by an entity in the MTS when it accepts
+ a message from a UA.
+
+ The POP3 server used by MZnet is modified in the sense that it does
+ not require a USER/PASS combination before entering the TRANSACTION
+ state. The reason for this (of course) is that the PC has already
+ identified itself during the second-level authorization step
+ described above.
+
+ NOTE: Truth in advertising laws require that the author
+ of this memo state that MZnet has not actually been
+ fully implemented. The concepts presented and proven
+ by the project led to the notion of the MZnet
+ split-slot model. This notion has inspired the
+ split-UA concept described in this memo, led to the
+ author's interest in the POP, and heavily influenced
+ the the description of the POP3 herein.
+
+ In fact, some UAs present in the Internet already support the notion
+ of posting directly to an SMTP server and retrieving mail directly
+ from a POP3 server, even if the POP3 server and client resided on the
+ same host!
+
+ ASIDE: this discussion raises an issue which this memo
+ purposedly avoids: how does SMTP know that it's talking
+ to a "trusted" MTS entity?
+
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 16]
+
+RFC 1460 POP3 June 1993
+
+
+12. References
+
+ [MZnet] Stefferud, E., Sweet, J., and T. Domae, "MZnet: Mail
+ Service for Personal Micro-Computer Systems,:
+ Proceedings, IFIP 6.5 International Conference on
+ Computer Message Systems, Nottingham, U.K., May 1984.
+
+ [RFC821] Postel, J., "Simple Mail Transfer Protocol", STD 10,
+ RFC 821, USC/Information Sciences Institute, August 1982.
+
+ [RFC822] Crocker, D., "Standard for the Format of ARPA-Internet
+ Text Messages", STD 11, RFC 822, University of Delaware,
+ August 1982.
+
+ [RFC1321] Rivest, R. "The MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm", MIT
+ Laboratory for Computer Science, April 1992.
+
+13. Security Considerations
+
+ It is conjectured that use of the APOP command provides origin
+ identification and replay protection for a POP3 session.
+ Accordingly, a POP3 server which implements both the PASS and APOP
+ commands must not allow both methods of access for a given user; that
+ is, for a given "USER name" either the PASS or APOP command is
+ allowed, but not both.
+
+ Otherwise, security issues are not discussed in this memo.
+
+14. Acknowledgements
+
+ The POP family has a long and checkered history. Although primarily
+ a minor revision to [RFC1225], POP3 is based on the ideas presented
+ in RFCs 918, 937, and 1081.
+
+ In addition, Alfred Grimstad, Keith McCloghrie, and Neil Ostroff
+ provided significant comments on the APOP command.
+
+15. Author's Address
+
+ Marshall T. Rose
+ Dover Beach Consulting, Inc.
+ Mountain View, CA 94043-2186
+
+ Phone: +1 415 968 1052
+ Fax: +1 415 968 2510
+
+ EMail: mrose@dbc.mtview.ca.us
+ X.500: rose, dbc, us
+
+
+
+Rose [Page 17]
+ \ No newline at end of file