Markdown Version | Session Recording

Session Date/Time: 25 Jul 2025 12:30

emailcore Working Group Meeting

Summary

The emailcore working group met to discuss three main topics: finalizing IANA considerations cleanup in the SMTP specification, adoption of a draft for IANA cleanup of email registries, and resolving remaining issues in the applicability statement document. Significant progress was made on all fronts, with the group close to completing the applicability statement and agreeing to adopt the IANA cleanup draft.

Key Discussion Points

IANA Considerations Cleanup for SMTP Spec (RFC 5321bis)

• Barry Leiba presented three simple edits and three remaining questions from IANA feedback
• Simple edits agreed upon:
  • Minor text corrections in IANA considerations section
  • All changes have IANA approval and working group consensus
• Three remaining questions resolved:
  1. FCFS registrations and supplemental documents: Group agreed no additional text needed - IANA not expected to review supplemental documents for first-come-first-serve registrations
  2. X- prefix restrictions: Agreed to add sentence asking IANA to remove restriction on registrations starting with "X" from registry header
  3. IPv6 address format reference: Agreed to update reference from obsolete numbered reference to RFC 5952 for IPv6 text format

IANA Cleanup Draft Adoption

• Alexey presented draft addressing existing registry inconsistencies beyond RFC 5321bis changes
• Draft will populate missing columns, add length information, and fix message submission usage fields
• Decision: Working group agreed to adopt this draft in emailcore (rather than mailmaint) to coordinate with RFC 5321bis publication
• Todd to initiate adoption call

Applicability Statement Progress

• Ken presented updates showing significant progress with only 2 remaining open issues
• Changes agreed upon:
  • Changed "optional/required" terminology to "opportunistic/enforced"
  • Added clarifying text for hop-by-hop vs end-to-end encryption (with minor wordsmithing needed)
  • Updated DKIM description using text from RFC 6376
  • Revised MTA-STS reference text
• Web form email address syntax: Presented new ABNF grammar for safer HTML form validation, but internationalization concerns raised by John Klensin require mailing list discussion
• SMTP CNAME issue: Decided to close with no changes - existing text in specification already adequate

Decisions and Action Items

Immediate Actions

1. Barry: Respond to IANA with summary of agreed changes and close the loop on IANA considerations
2. Barry: Post summary of IANA discussion to mailing list
3. Todd: Initiate adoption call for IANA cleanup draft
4. Ken: Post version 19 of applicability statement incorporating agreed changes within 36 hours

Follow-up Actions

1. Ken & John: Take internationalization concerns for web form ABNF to mailing list for resolution
2. Pete: Revise hop-by-hop encryption text to address Victor's concerns about overly strong claims
3. Working Group: Review and finalize remaining two issues via mailing list before version 20

Next Steps

• IANA considerations cleanup for SMTP spec ready for final implementation
• IANA cleanup draft to proceed through emailcore adoption process
• Applicability statement very close to completion - working group last call anticipated after resolving final two issues
• Potential for joint meetings with mailmaint if IANA cleanup draft becomes only remaining emailcore item
• Target: Have applicability statement ready for working group last call before Montreal IETF meeting