Re: [PLUG] Verizon blocking port 25

[Randall A Sindlinger <rsindlin+plug@seas.upenn.edu>]

On Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 04:59:44PM -0400, John Kreno wrote:
> Hi,
> 
>  Long time listener, first time caller. I think even though that Verizon in
> this case is a residential provider, that an ISP should not filter any ports
> for any reason. 

I think I need to disagree; if an account is sending spam, the ISP has a
(legal? terms-of-service?) responsibility to close the account.  As Verizon
also has a desire to not close legitimate accounts, they need to be concerned
about the security of the account to some degree as well.

> It should be the customer's responsibility to perform due
> diligence. The internet should be as open as possible, much like the real
> world. But the end user should be diligent to keep their own end points
> secure.
> 

I'd agree with you here if every computer checked login credentials against
the Department of Computer Usage License state/federal database.  Unfortunately,
since no license is required to use a computer, one can make _no_ assumptions
about the capabilities of users.  I work in a school of engineering; one 
would expect the users here to be more savvy.  Time has proven that acceptance
into a college program has no correlation with user capability.  :-(

> - John
> 

I'm all for the internet being open so long as every hacker is tracked down
and gets their hands chopped off.  But that is completely impractical in more
more than one way.  Zoo keepers make sure the cages are locked; they don't
count on the chimps keep the doors close.

-Randall
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