Feature Request: SPF (DNS)

[bhoule]

My WSP seems reluctant to talk to you, so I'll ask:

CPanel currently provides a way to modify DNS 'MX' records.

I'd like to request the additional capability of managing DNS 'TXT' records, so that SPF (Sender Policy Framework), an anti-spam 'solution', can be implemented on my domain.

http://spf.pobox.com/dns.html

[bashprompt18]

You can setup SPF records in WHM now using the Zone editor... I have a SPF record
and I did it using WHM do a dig on thewebspaceplace.net and you will
see my SPF Record.

-John

[SarcNBit]

I'd like to request the additional capability of managing DNS 'TXT' records, so that SPF (Sender Policy Framework), an anti-spam 'solution', can be implemented on my domain.

You may want to post this as a feature request here.

What type of entry are you looking for? If it is nothing fancy. It may be better if the record is created 'behind the scenes' and the cPanel user is presented with a simple 'I use this domain for email' dialog.

[bhoule]

bashprompt18: My understanding is that Cpanel and WHM are 2 different products. Unlike your WHM access, the end-user 'Cpanel' provides no zone editing function (other than adding MX records).

SarcNBit: yes, adding the necessary TXT records via root access was what my WSP eventually offered. Thanks. (This is acceptable for now given how often the records will change. However, my observation is that as my provider grows more dependent upon CPanel, their commitment to do anything "behind the scenes" grows less strong. I just figured if Cpanel.net would consider the feature, they could eliminate the reliance on such sysadmin action. This wasn't the appropriate "suggestion box" forum?)

[SarcNBit]

SarcNBit: yes, adding the necessary TXT records via root access was what my WSP eventually offered. Thanks. (This is acceptable for now given how often the records will change. However, my observation is that as my provider grows more dependent upon CPanel, their commitment to do anything "behind the scenes" grows less strong. I just figured if Cpanel.net would consider the feature, they could eliminate the reliance on such sysadmin action. This wasn't the appropriate "suggestion box" forum?)

bhoule, when I mentioned 'behind the scenes', I was referring to a script action prompted by the cPanel end-users action not a sysadmin taking care of things for you

I have not thought it thru (it was your suggestion after all :P ) and I do not know how complicated the record creation will need to be in various scenarios, so I do not know if this idea will work.

The bugzilla link I posted is the best way to "officially" make a feature enhancement suggestion. Members of the cPanel crew do visit these forums, but there is no way to know if they stumbled across your thread or not.

[bangsters]

having this feature is a good idea...better yet, why not let the cpanel user be able to modify his dns settings himself instead of going thru the whm? i think it would be better that the end customer has more control over the domain he registers....

[SarcNBit]

better yet, why not let the cpanel user be able to modify his dns settings himself instead of going thru the whm?

I do not think that would be "better yet". Were you being facetious?

In what I would imagine to be 99% of day to day hosting, zone files do not need to be modified once they have been configured. Why would I want to expose this to service to clients so they can "play" with it while pressing all of the pretty buttons in their cpanels and increase my support costs?

[bangsters]

I do not think that would be "better yet". Were you being facetious?

In what I would imagine to be 99% of day to day hosting, zone files do not need to be modified once they have been configured. Why would I want to expose this to service to clients so they can "play" with it while pressing all of the pretty buttons in their cpanels and increase my support costs?

yeah you are correct on that one....but there are some customers that want full control of their dns settings....but thinking of this, if customers can do that and they mess up, then it's their problem, or charge an extra to restore it...just my .02 =)

[chirpy]

The problem is, if they mess up, they will take your whole DNS server down - not something you want to be having to fix all the time. If they want control over their own DNS records, then they can easily enough use their own on the various free and paid-for services available on the internet.

[intuitive]

On our cPanel/WHM setup I have tweaked the DNS template file to include the necessary SPF record... albeit as a general "here's a record but at the moment it isn't restrictive"

This gets around the possibility of being blocked because domains don't have an SPF.

We'll tighten the rules in due course...


However, does cPanel/Exim support SPF (at the receiving level) yet?

[perlchild]

On our cPanel/WHM setup I have tweaked the DNS template file to include the necessary SPF record... albeit as a general "here's a record but at the moment it isn't restrictive"

This gets around the possibility of being blocked because domains don't have an SPF.

We'll tighten the rules in due course...


However, does cPanel/Exim support SPF (at the receiving level) yet?

Though spamassassin, yes, there is support for SPF validation and scoring.
It does not yet blacklist for missing SPF records(it makes no sense, as they aren't pervasive yet)