Re: BCC not working?

[Brian Stafford <brian stafford uklinux net>]

On Fri, 18 May 16:00 Eric Dexter wrote:

| So, if I'm understanding this, the sending MUA shouldn't send the bcc:
| header?

Not to recipients other than those in the Bcc list anyway.

| It's really only there for internal use?

No, Bcc: is expected to be useful in messages transferred over
the internet, otherwise RFC 821 or RFC 2821 wouldn't formally
define it.

| Otherwise, if it did,
| and the MTA can't process those headers, the MTA will just send the
| header to ALL recipients, thereby showing EVERYONE who was sent the
| message?

The MTA *must not* process the Bcc: (or any other) header.  This
behaviour is REQUIRED by RFC 2821.

| Reason I'm assuming this, is if I telnet to my server, and do the
| following:
| 
| > 220 mx-wic.tech.wichitaeagle.com ESMTP service (Netscape Messaging
| Server 4.15 Patch 6 (built Mar 30 2001))
| > rcpt to: khill@wichitaeagle.com
| > 250 Recipient <khill@wichitaeagle.com> Ok
| > mail from: me
| > 250 Sender <me> Ok
| > data
| > 354 Ok Send data ending with <CRLF>.<CRLF>
| > bcc: edexter@wichitaeagle.com
| > subject: this is my test
| > 
| > Hmm...bcc was used.
| > .
| > 250 Message received: GDJCX700.7AY
| > quit
| 
| The user could still see the BCC header...since the MTA didn't/doesn't
| strip any headers.

This is correct behaviour.

| In otherwords, it would have been up to the
| email-client to add all the users to the rcpt to: field, but leave out
| the bcc header during the "data" conversation?

Only for the recipients *not* listed in the bcc: header.  The recipients
listed in the Bcc header would get a second version of the message
with the Bcc header intact.

| Sorry, not trying to be thick headed...but RFC's are difficult to
| follow unless you've got some practice (hanging my head in shame).

RFCs aren't too bad when you get used to the style.  You should
try reading ITU standards ;)

Regards
Brian Stafford