Message Submission Port 587 enabled by default [case 56278]

[LinuxMagic]

While working on some new features for our MagicSpam PRO for WHM/cPanel, our developers have noticed some behaviors that the default installation exhibits, however maybe it is time that some of the default behaviors change, given the new realities of email.

I would like to get some feedback from both NOC Partners, Hosting Providers, and anyone else on these issues. Changing some of these default behaviors we believe can help all users of cPanel, and with the use of some different defaults, make it easier for us to implement advanced email controls in cPanel, and better security controls. I am posting each idea/recommendation as a separate thread.

Port 587 Enabled by Default

This has been an industry standard for quite a few years now, and especially as many ISP's, Hotels, HotSpots all block port 25, the 'submission port' is now recommended by most ISP's, and many devices try this port by default first. Many cPanel users are not email experts, and may not know enough about this to turn it on.

The added advantage is that even if the senders IP is blocked on Port 25, using SMTP Authentication (full email address and password) on Port 587 is always possible, and many providers force the use of port 587 for the simple reason that per user rate limiters can be implemented, helping stop compromised accounts from spewing spam, getting the cPanel server blacklisted, which can cost you a hosting customer.

Comments Please

[rhm.geerts]

I would second the request. Also Directadmin is supporting port 587 instead of port 465.
Next to that fulfills port 587 the RFC standards which port 465 does not.

[monarobase]

465 is communly used for SSL, 587 is rfc replacement for port 25

cPanel reccomends port 26 as replacement for port 25 as it is easier to remember.

Unless it is possible to have port 587 listen to both SSL and non SSL requests, the default for 587 should be non SSL.

Most e-mail clients default to 465 for SSL SMTP and I do not see the point of have two different ports for SMTP over SSL.

It will however be great to have both 26 and 587 listening for normal SMTP (cPanel 11.32) at the same time. 26 => easier to remember, 587 => compatible with other control pannels, usefull for clients comming to cPanel who do not want to change their setup.

+1 for listening by default to port 587 for non SSL SMTP connections.

[cPanelDon]

This will be in upcoming cPanel&WHM 11.32 builds starting with 11.31.4.x.

[cpanelnick]

587 has been implemented as non-ssl, auth required in 11.31.4.1 (not yet available for public consumption).

[cPanelDon]

This feature is now available on the EDGE tier in cPanel&WHM version 11.31.4.4. The full change log is available via the following link: CPanelVersion1132 < AllDocumentation/ChangeLog < TWiki

[cPanelDavidG]

As this functionality is now available on all update tiers, I am closing and archiving this thread.