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diff --git a/RFC/rfc1081.txt b/RFC/rfc1081.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c21d6e48 --- /dev/null +++ b/RFC/rfc1081.txt @@ -0,0 +1,899 @@ + + + + + + +Network Working Group M. Rose +Request for Comments: 1081 TWG + November 1988 + + Post Office Protocol - Version 3 + + +Status of this Memo + + This memo suggests a simple method for workstations to dynamically + access mail from a mailbox server. This RFC specifies a proposed + protocol for the Internet community, and requests discussion and + suggestions for improvements. Distribution of this memo is + unlimited. + + This memo is based on RFC 918 (since revised as RFC 937). Although + similar in form to the original Post Office Protocol (POP) proposed + for the Internet community, the protocol discussed in this memo is + similar in spirit to the ideas investigated by the MZnet project at + the University of California, Irvine. + + Further, substantial work was done on examining POP in a PC-based + environment. This work, which resulted in additional functionality + in this protocol, was performed by the ACIS Networking Systems Group + at Stanford University. The author gratefully acknowledges their + interest. + +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 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 + 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. + + + + +Rose [Page 1] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + 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. + +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. + + 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 + 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 + + + +Rose [Page 2] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + 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. + +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 dewey POP3 server ready (Comments to: PostMaster@UDEL.EDU) + + 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. + + 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 + + + +Rose [Page 3] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + 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 + ... + 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 + + + +Rose [Page 4] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + -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 + + +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. + 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 + + + +Rose [Page 5] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + 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 + 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 + + + +Rose [Page 6] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + 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 + 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. + + + + + +Rose [Page 7] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + 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. + Discussion: + + The POP3 server does nothing, it merely replies with a + positive response. + + Possible Responses: + +OK + + + + + +Rose [Page 8] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + 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 1 + + RSET + Arguments: none + Restrictions: may only be given in the TRANSACTION + state. + Discussion: + + If any messages have been marked as deleted by the POP3 + + + +Rose [Page 9] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + server, they are unmarked. The POP3 server then + replies with a positive response. In addition, the + "highest number accessed" is also reset to the value + determined at the beginning of the POP3 session. + + Possible Responses: + +OK + Examples: + C: RSET + S: +OK maildrop has 2 messages (320 octets) + + + +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) + ... + + +Optional POP3 Commands + + The POP3 commands discussed above must be supported by all minimal + implementations of POP3 servers. + + + +Rose [Page 10] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + 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 + + RPOP user + Arguments: a client specific user-id (required) + Restrictions: may only be given in the AUTHORIZATION + state after a successful USER command; in addition, + may only be given if the client used a reserved + + + +Rose [Page 11] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + (privileged) TCP port to connect to the server. + Discussion: + + The RPOP command may be used instead of the PASS + command to authenticate access to the maildrop. In + order for this command to be successful, the POP3 + client must use a reserved TCP port (port < 1024) to + connect tothe server. The POP3 server uses the + argument pair from the USER and RPOP commands to + determine if the client should be given access to + the appropriate maildrop. Unlike the PASS command + however, the POP3 server considers if the remote user + specified by the RPOP command who resides on the POP3 + client host is allowed to access the maildrop for the + user specified by the USER command (e.g., on Berkeley + UNIX, the .rhosts mechanism is used). With the + exception of this differing in authentication, this + command is identical to the PASS command. + + Note that the use of this feature has allowed much wider + penetration into numerous hosts on local networks (and + sometimes remote networks) by those who gain illegal + access to computers by guessing passwords or otherwise + breaking into the system. + + Possible Responses: + +OK maildrop locked and ready + -ERR permission denied + Examples: + C: USER mrose + S: +OK mrose is a real hoopy frood + C: RPOP mrose + S: +OK mrose's maildrop has 2 messages (320 + octets) + + 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 12] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + QUIT valid in the UPDATE state + + Optional POP3 Commands: + RPOP user 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. + +Example POP3 Session + + S: <wait for connection on TCP port 110> + ... + C: <open connection> + S: +OK dewey POP3 server ready (Comments to: PostMaster@UDEL.EDU) + 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: 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 + + + + + +Rose [Page 13] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + S: +OK dewey POP3 server signing off (maildrop empty) + C: <close connection> + S: <wait for next connection> + +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. + +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. 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 + + + +Rose [Page 14] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + 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 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 POP server, even if the POP server and client resided on the + same host! + + ASIDE: this discussion raises an issue which this memo + + + +Rose [Page 15] + +RFC 1081 POP3 November 1988 + + + purposedly avoids: how does SMTP know that it's talking + to a "trusted" MTS entity? + +References + + [MZnet] Stefferud, E., J. Sweet, 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", + USC/Information Sciences Institute, August 1982. + + [RFC822] Crocker, D., "Standard for the Format of ARPA-Internet + Text Messages", University of Delaware, August 1982. + + [RFC937] Butler, M., J. Postel, D. Chase, J. Goldberger, and J. + Reynolds, "Post Office Protocol - Version 2", RFC 937, + USC/Information Sciences Institute, February 1985. + + [RFC1010] Reynolds, J., and J. Postel, "Assigned Numbers", RFC + 1010, USC/Information Sciences Institute, May 1987. + +Author's Address: + + + Marshall Rose + The Wollongong Group + 1129 San Antonio Rd. + Palo Alto, California 94303 + + Phone: (415) 962-7100 + + Email: MRose@TWG.COM + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Rose [Page 16] +
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