.book
. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-. These definitions set some parameters and save some typing. Remember that
-. the <bookinfo> element must also be updated for each new edition.
+. These definitions set some parameters and save some typing.
+. Update the Copyright year (only) when changing content.
. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
.set previousversion "4.80"
-.set version "4.80"
+.include ./local_params
.set ACL "access control lists (ACLs)"
.set I " "
+.macro copyyear
+2012
+.endmacro
. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
. Additional xfpt markup used by this document, over and above the default
<bookinfo>
<title>Specification of the Exim Mail Transfer Agent</title>
<titleabbrev>The Exim MTA</titleabbrev>
-<date>17 May 2012</date>
+<date>
+.fulldate
+</date>
<author><firstname>Exim</firstname><surname>Maintainers</surname></author>
<authorinitials>EM</authorinitials>
<revhistory><revision>
- <revnumber>4.80</revnumber>
- <date>17 May 2012</date>
+ <revnumber>
+.version
+ </revnumber>
+ <date>
+.fulldate
+ </date>
<authorinitials>EM</authorinitials>
</revision></revhistory>
-<copyright><year>2012</year><holder>University of Cambridge</holder></copyright>
+<copyright><year>
+.copyyear
+ </year><holder>University of Cambridge</holder></copyright>
</bookinfo>
.literal off
.new
.cindex "documentation"
-This edition of the Exim specification applies to version &version; of Exim.
+This edition of the Exim specification applies to version &version() of Exim.
Substantive changes from the &previousversion; edition are marked in some
renditions of the document; this paragraph is so marked if the rendition is
capable of showing a change indicator.
.cindex "distribution" "signing details"
.cindex "distribution" "public key"
.cindex "public key for signed distribution"
-The distributions are currently signed with Nigel Metheringham's GPG key. The
-corresponding public key is available from a number of keyservers, and there is
-also a copy in the file &_nigel-pubkey.asc_&. The signatures for the tar bundles are
-in:
+.new
+The distributions will be PGP signed by an individual key of the Release
+Coordinator. This key will have a uid containing an email address in the
+&'exim.org'& domain and will have signatures from other people, including
+other Exim maintainers. We expect that the key will be in the "strong set" of
+PGP keys. There should be a trust path to that key from Nigel Metheringham's
+PGP key, a version of which can be found in the release directory in the file
+&_nigel-pubkey.asc_&. All keys used will be available in public keyserver pools,
+such as &'pool.sks-keyservers.net'&.
+
+At time of last update, releases were being made by Phil Pennock and signed with
+key &'0x403043153903637F'&, although that key is expected to be replaced in 2013.
+A trust path from Nigel's key to Phil's can be observed at
+&url(https://www.security.spodhuis.org/exim-trustpath).
+.wen
+
+The signatures for the tar bundles are in:
.display
&_exim-n.nn.tar.gz.asc_&
&_exim-n.nn.tar.bz2.asc_&
.cindex "incorporated code"
.cindex "regular expressions" "library"
.cindex "PCRE"
+.cindex "OpenDMARC"
A number of pieces of external code are included in the Exim distribution.
.ilist
SOFTWARE.
.endblockquote
+.next
+.cindex "opendmarc" "acknowledgment"
+The DMARC implementation uses the OpenDMARC library which is Copyrighted by
+The Trusted Domain Project. Portions of Exim source which use OpenDMARC
+derived code are indicated in the respective source files. The full OpenDMARC
+license is provided in the LICENSE.opendmarc file contained in the distributed
+source code.
+
.next
Many people have contributed code fragments, some large, some small, that were
not covered by any specific licence requirements. It is assumed that the
&%verify_recipient%&, which independently control the use of the router for
sender and recipient verification. You can set these options directly if
you want a router to be used for only one type of verification.
+Note that cutthrough delivery is classed as a recipient verification
+for this purpose.
.next
If the &%address_test%& option is set false, the router is skipped when Exim is
run with the &%-bt%& option to test an address routing. This can be helpful
.next
Routers can be designated for use only when verifying an address, as
opposed to routing it for delivery. The &%verify_only%& option controls this.
+Again, cutthrough delibery counts as a verification.
.next
Individual routers can be explicitly skipped when running the routers to
check an address given in the SMTP EXPN command (see the &%expn%& option).
.section "Unpacking" "SECID23"
Exim is distributed as a gzipped or bzipped tar file which, when unpacked,
creates a directory with the name of the current release (for example,
-&_exim-&version;_&) into which the following files are placed:
+&_exim-&version()_&) into which the following files are placed:
.table2 140pt
.irow &_ACKNOWLEDGMENTS_& "contains some acknowledgments"
For the utility programs, old versions are renamed by adding the suffix &_.O_&
to their names. The Exim binary itself, however, is handled differently. It is
installed under a name that includes the version number and the compile number,
-for example &_exim-&version;-1_&. The script then arranges for a symbolic link
+for example &_exim-&version()-1_&. The script then arranges for a symbolic link
called &_exim_& to point to the binary. If you are updating a previous version
of Exim, the script takes care to ensure that the name &_exim_& is never absent
from the directory (as seen by other processes).
It sets the incoming protocol and host name (for trusted callers). The
host name and its colon can be omitted when only the protocol is to be set.
Note the Exim already has two private options, &%-pd%& and &%-ps%&, that refer
-to embedded Perl. It is therefore impossible to set a protocol value of &`p`&
+to embedded Perl. It is therefore impossible to set a protocol value of &`d`&
or &`s`& using this option (but that does not seem a real limitation).
.vitem &%-q%&
The authorization code can be &"Y"& for yes, &"N"& for no, &"X"& for explicit
authorization required but absent, or &"?"& for unknown.
+.cindex "A+" "in &(dnsdb)& lookup"
+The pseudo-type A+ performs an A6 lookup (if configured) followed by an AAAA
+and then an A lookup. All results are returned; defer processing
+(see below) is handled separately for each lookup. Example:
+.code
+${lookup dnsdb {>; a+=$sender_helo_name}}
+.endd
+
.section "Multiple dnsdb lookups" "SECID67"
In the previous sections, &(dnsdb)& lookups for a single domain are described.
Any unused are made empty. The variable &$acl_narg$& is set to the number of
arguments. The named ACL (see chapter &<<CHAPACL>>&) is called
and may use the variables; if another acl expansion is used the values
-are overwritten. If the ACL sets
+are restored after it returns. If the ACL sets
a value using a "message =" modifier and returns accept or deny, the value becomes
the result of the expansion.
-If no message was set and the ACL returned accept or deny
-the value is an empty string.
-If the ACL returned defer the result is a forced-fail. Otherwise the expansion fails.
+If no message is set and the ACL returns accept or deny
+the expansion result is an empty string.
+If the ACL returns defer the result is a forced-fail. Otherwise the expansion fails.
.vitem "&*${dlfunc{*&<&'file'&>&*}{*&<&'function'&>&*}{*&<&'arg'&>&*}&&&
for DNS. For example,
.code
${reverse_ip:192.0.2.4}
-${reverse_ip:2001:0db8:c42:9:1:abcd:192.0.2.3}
+${reverse_ip:2001:0db8:c42:9:1:abcd:192.0.2.127}
.endd
returns
.code
4.2.0.192
-3.0.2.0.0.0.0.c.d.c.b.a.1.0.0.0.9.0.0.0.2.4.c.0.8.b.d.0.1.0.0.2
+f.7.2.0.0.0.0.c.d.c.b.a.1.0.0.0.9.0.0.0.2.4.c.0.8.b.d.0.1.0.0.2
.endd
Any unused are made empty. The variable &$acl_narg$& is set to the number of
arguments. The named ACL (see chapter &<<CHAPACL>>&) is called
and may use the variables; if another acl expansion is used the values
-are overwritten. If the ACL sets
+are restored after it returns. If the ACL sets
a value using a "message =" modifier the variable $value becomes
the result of the expansion, otherwise it is empty.
If the ACL returns accept the condition is true; if deny, false.
be terminated by colon or white space, because it may contain a wide variety of
characters. Note also that braces must &'not'& be used.
+.vitem &$headers_added$&
+.vindex "&$headers_added$&"
+Within an ACL this variable contains the headers added so far by
+the ACL modifier add_header (section &<<SECTaddheadacl>>&).
+The headers are a newline-separated list.
+
.vitem &$home$&
.vindex "&$home$&"
When the &%check_local_user%& option is set for a router, the user's home
.vindex "&$return_size_limit$&"
This is an obsolete name for &$bounce_return_size_limit$&.
+.vitem &$router_name$&
+.cindex "router" "name"
+.cindex "name" "of router"
+.vindex "&$router_name$&"
+During the running of a router this variable contains its name.
+
.vitem &$runrc$&
.cindex "return code" "from &%run%& expansion"
.vindex "&$runrc$&"
This variable contains the UTC date and time in &"Zulu"& format, as specified
by ISO 8601, for example: 20030221154023Z.
+.vitem &$transport_name$&
+.cindex "transport" "name"
+.cindex "name" "of transport"
+.vindex "&$transport_name$&"
+During the running of a transport, this variable contains its name.
+
.vitem &$value$&
.vindex "&$value$&"
This variable contains the result of an expansion lookup, extraction operation,
.option accept_8bitmime main boolean true
.cindex "8BITMIME"
.cindex "8-bit characters"
+.cindex "log" "selectors"
+.cindex "log" "8BITMIME"
This option causes Exim to send 8BITMIME in its response to an SMTP
EHLO command, and to accept the BODY= parameter on MAIL commands.
However, though Exim is 8-bit clean, it is not a protocol converter, and it
&url(http://cr.yp.to/smtp/8bitmime.html)
.endd
+To log received 8BITMIME status use
+.code
+log_selector = +8bitmime
+.endd
+
.option acl_not_smtp main string&!! unset
.cindex "&ACL;" "for non-SMTP messages"
.cindex "non-SMTP messages" "ACLs for"
See &<<SECTtlssni>>& for discussion of when this option might be re-expanded.
+A forced expansion failure or setting to an empty string is equivalent to
+being unset.
+
.option tls_verify_hosts main "host list&!!" unset
.cindex "TLS" "client certificate verification"
.option debug_print routers string&!! unset
.cindex "testing" "variables in drivers"
If this option is set and debugging is enabled (see the &%-d%& command line
-option), the string is expanded and included in the debugging output.
+option) or in address-testing mode (see the &%-bt%& command line option),
+the string is expanded and included in the debugging output.
If expansion of the string fails, the error message is written to the debugging
output, and Exim carries on processing.
This option is provided to help with checking out the values of variables and
variables it references. The output happens after checks for &%domains%&,
&%local_parts%&, and &%check_local_user%& but before any other preconditions
are tested. A newline is added to the text if it does not end with one.
+The variable &$router_name$& contains the name of the router.
.cindex "EXPN" "with &%verify_only%&"
.oindex "&%-bv%&"
.cindex "router" "used only when verifying"
-If this option is set, the router is used only when verifying an address or
+If this option is set, the router is used only when verifying an address,
+delivering in cutthrough mode or
testing with the &%-bv%& option, not when actually doing a delivery, testing
with the &%-bt%& option, or running the SMTP EXPN command. It can be further
restricted to verifying only senders or recipients by means of
.option verify_recipient routers&!? boolean true
If this option is false, the router is skipped when verifying recipient
-addresses
+addresses,
+delivering in cutthrough mode
or testing recipient verification using &%-bv%&.
See section &<<SECTrouprecon>>& for a list of the order in which preconditions
are evaluated.
option is not working properly, &%debug_print%& could be used to output the
variables it references. A newline is added to the text if it does not end with
one.
+The variables &$transport_name$& and &$router_name$& contain the name of the
+transport and the router that called it.
.option delivery_date_add transports boolean false
.vindex "&$address_pipe$&"
A router redirects an address directly to a pipe command (for example, from an
alias or forward file). In this case, &$address_pipe$& contains the text of the
-pipe command, and the &%command%& option on the transport is ignored. If only
-one address is being transported (&%batch_max%& is not greater than one, or
-only one address was redirected to this pipe command), &$local_part$& contains
-the local part that was redirected.
+pipe command, and the &%command%& option on the transport is ignored unless
+&%force_command%& is set. If only one address is being transported
+(&%batch_max%& is not greater than one, or only one address was redirected to
+this pipe command), &$local_part$& contains the local part that was redirected.
.endlist
avoids any problems with spaces or shell metacharacters, and is of use when a
&(pipe)& transport is handling groups of addresses in a batch.
+If &%force_command%& is enabled on the transport, Special handling takes place
+for an argument that consists of precisely the text &`$address_pipe`&. It
+is handled similarly to &$pipe_addresses$& above. It is expanded and each
+argument is inserted in the argument list at that point
+&'as a separate argument'&. The &`$address_pipe`& item does not need to be
+the only item in the argument; in fact, if it were then &%force_command%&
+should behave as a no-op. Rather, it should be used to adjust the command
+run while preserving the argument vector separation.
+
After splitting up into arguments and expansion, the resulting command is run
in a subprocess directly from the transport, &'not'& under a shell. The
message that is being delivered is supplied on the standard input, and the
frozen in Exim's queue instead.
+.option force_command pipe boolean false
+.cindex "force command"
+.cindex "&(pipe)& transport", "force command"
+Normally when a router redirects an address directly to a pipe command
+the &%command%& option on the transport is ignored. If &%force_command%&
+is set, the &%command%& option will used. This is especially
+useful for forcing a wrapper or additional argument to be added to the
+command. For example:
+.code
+command = /usr/bin/remote_exec myhost -- $address_pipe
+force_command
+.endd
+
+Note that &$address_pipe$& is handled specially in &%command%& when
+&%force_command%& is set, expanding out to the original argument vector as
+separate items, similarly to a Unix shell &`"$@"`& construct.
+
.option ignore_status pipe boolean false
If this option is true, the status returned by the subprocess that is set up to
run the command is ignored, and Exim behaves as if zero had been returned.
.endd
+.option client_set_id authenticators string&!! unset
+When client authentication succeeds, this condition is expanded; the
+result is used in the log lines for outbound messasges.
+Typically it will be the user name used for authentication.
+
+
.option driver authenticators string unset
This option must always be set. It specifies which of the available
authenticators is to be used.
and try again later, but that is their problem, though it does waste some of
your resources.
+The &%acl_smtp_data%& ACL is run after both the &%acl_smtp_dkim%& and
+the &%acl_smtp_mime%& ACLs.
+
.section "The SMTP DKIM ACL" "SECTDKIMACL"
The &%acl_smtp_dkim%& ACL is available only when Exim is compiled with DKIM support
received, and is executed for each DKIM signature found in a message. If not
otherwise specified, the default action is to accept.
-For details on the operation of DKIM, see chapter &<<CHID12>>&.
+This ACL is evaluated before &%acl_smtp_mime%& and &%acl_smtp_data%&.
+
+For details on the operation of DKIM, see chapter &<<CHAPdkim>>&.
.section "The SMTP MIME ACL" "SECID194"
The &%acl_smtp_mime%& option is available only when Exim is compiled with the
content-scanning extension. For details, see chapter &<<CHAPexiscan>>&.
+This ACL is evaluated after &%acl_smtp_dkim%& but before &%acl_smtp_data%&.
+
.section "The QUIT ACL" "SECTQUITACL"
.cindex "QUIT, ACL for"
.new
.vitem &*control&~=&~cutthrough_delivery*&
.cindex "&ACL;" "cutthrough routing"
+.cindex "cutthrough" "requesting"
This option requests delivery be attempted while the item is being received.
It is usable in the RCPT ACL and valid only for single-recipient mails forwarded
from one SMTP connection to another. If a recipient-verify callout connection is
requested in the same ACL it is held open and used for the data, otherwise one is made
-after the ACL completes.
+after the ACL completes. Note that routers are used in verify mode.
Should the ultimate destination system positively accept or reject the mail,
a corresponding indication is given to the source system and nothing is queued.
.cindex "disable DKIM verify"
.cindex "DKIM" "disable verify"
This control turns off DKIM verification processing entirely. For details on
-the operation and configuration of DKIM, see chapter &<<CHID12>>&.
+the operation and configuration of DKIM, see chapter &<<CHAPdkim>>&.
.wen
any ACL verb, including &%deny%& (though this is potentially useful only in a
RCPT ACL).
-If the data for the &%add_header%& modifier contains one or more newlines that
+Leading and trailing newlines are removed from
+the data for the &%add_header%& modifier; if it then
+contains one or more newlines that
are not followed by a space or a tab, it is assumed to contain multiple header
lines. Each one is checked for valid syntax; &`X-ACL-Warn:`& is added to the
front of any line that is not a valid header line.
are included in the entry that is written to the reject log.
.cindex "header lines" "added; visibility of"
-Header lines are not visible in string expansions until they are added to the
+Header lines are not visible in string expansions
+of message headers
+until they are added to the
message. It follows that header lines defined in the MAIL, RCPT, and predata
ACLs are not visible until the DATA ACL and MIME ACLs are run. Similarly,
header lines that are added by the DATA or MIME ACLs are not visible in those
this, you can use ACL variables, as described in section
&<<SECTaclvariables>>&.
+The list of headers yet to be added is given by the &%$headers_added%& variable.
+
The &%add_header%& modifier acts immediately as it is encountered during the
processing of an ACL. Notice the difference between these two cases:
.display
ceases, but processing of the ACL continues.
If the argument is a named ACL, up to nine space-separated optional values
-can be appended; they appear in $acl_arg1 to $acl_arg9, and $acl_narg is set
-to the count of values. The name and values are expanded separately.
+can be appended; they appear within the called ACL in $acl_arg1 to $acl_arg9,
+and $acl_narg is set to the count of values.
+Previous values of these variables are restored after the call returns.
+The name and values are expanded separately.
If the nested &%acl%& returns &"drop"& and the outer condition denies access,
the connection is dropped. If it returns &"discard"&, the verb must be
&`<=`& message arrival
&`=>`& normal message delivery
&`->`& additional address in same delivery
+&`>>`& cutthrough message delivery
&`*>`& delivery suppressed by &%-N%&
&`**`& delivery failed; address bounced
&`==`& delivery deferred; temporary problem
last of these is given in parentheses after the final address. The R and T
fields record the router and transport that were used to process the address.
+If SMTP AUTH was used for the delivery there is an additional item A=
+followed by the name of the authenticator that was used.
+If an authenticated identification was set up by the authenticator's &%client_set_id%&
+option, this is logged too, separated by a colon from the authenticator name.
+
If a shadow transport was run after a successful local delivery, the log line
for the successful delivery has an item added on the end, of the form
.display
down a single SMTP connection, an asterisk follows the IP address in the log
lines for the second and subsequent messages.
+.cindex "delivery" "cutthrough; logging"
+.cindex "cutthrough" "logging"
+When delivery is done in cutthrough mode it is flagged with &`>>`& and the log
+line precedes the reception line, since cutthrough waits for a possible
+rejection from the destination in case it can reject the sourced item.
+
The generation of a reply message by a filter file gets logged as a
&"delivery"& to the addressee, preceded by &">"&.
A summary of the field identifiers that are used in log lines is shown in
the following table:
.display
-&`A `& authenticator name (and optional id)
+&`A `& authenticator name (and optional id and sender)
&`C `& SMTP confirmation on delivery
&` `& command list for &"no mail in SMTP session"&
&`CV `& certificate verification status
The list of optional log items is in the following table, with the default
selection marked by asterisks:
.display
+&` 8bitmime `& received 8BITMIME status
&`*acl_warn_skipped `& skipped &%warn%& statement in ACL
&` address_rewrite `& address rewriting
&` all_parents `& all parents in => lines
&`*smtp_confirmation `& SMTP confirmation on => lines
&` smtp_connection `& SMTP connections
&` smtp_incomplete_transaction`& incomplete SMTP transactions
+&` smtp_mailauth `& AUTH argument to MAIL commands
&` smtp_no_mail `& session with no MAIL commands
&` smtp_protocol_error `& SMTP protocol errors
&` smtp_syntax_error `& SMTP syntax errors
More details on each of these items follows:
.ilist
+.cindex "8BITMIME"
+.cindex "log" "8BITMIME"
+&%8bitmime%&: This causes Exim to log any 8BITMIME status of received messages,
+which may help in tracking down interoperability issues with ancient MTAs
+that are not 8bit clean. This is added to the &"<="& line, tagged with
+&`M8S=`& and a value of &`0`&, &`7`& or &`8`&, corresponding to "not given",
+&`7BIT`& and &`8BITMIME`& respectively.
+.next
.cindex "&%warn%& ACL verb" "log when skipping"
&%acl_warn_skipped%&: When an ACL &%warn%& statement is skipped because one of
its conditions cannot be evaluated, a log line to this effect is written if
setting of 10 for &%smtp_accep_max_nonmail%&, the connection will in any case
have been aborted before 20 non-mail commands are processed.
.next
+&%smtp_mailauth%&: A third subfield with the authenticated sender,
+colon-separated, is appended to the A= item for a message arrival or delivery
+log line, if an AUTH argument to the SMTP MAIL command (see &<<SECTauthparamail>>&)
+was accepted or used.
+.next
.cindex "log" "SMTP protocol error"
.cindex "SMTP" "logging protocol error"
&%smtp_protocol_error%&: A log line is written for every SMTP protocol error
+.section "Running local commands" "SECTsecconslocalcmds"
+There are a number of ways in which an administrator can configure Exim to run
+commands based upon received, untrustworthy, data. Further, in some
+configurations a user who can control a &_.forward_& file can also arrange to
+run commands. Configuration to check includes, but is not limited to:
+
+.ilist
+Use of &%use_shell%& in the pipe transport: various forms of shell command
+injection may be possible with this option present. It is dangerous and should
+be used only with considerable caution. Consider constraints which whitelist
+allowed characters in a variable which is to be used in a pipe transport that
+has &%use_shell%& enabled.
+.next
+A number of options such as &%forbid_filter_run%&, &%forbid_filter_perl%&,
+&%forbid_filter_dlfunc%& and so forth which restrict facilities available to
+&_.forward_& files in a redirect router. If Exim is running on a central mail
+hub to which ordinary users do not have shell access, but home directories are
+NFS mounted (for instance) then administrators should review the list of these
+forbid options available, and should bear in mind that the options that may
+need forbidding can change as new features are added between releases.
+.next
+The &%${run...}%& expansion item does not use a shell by default, but
+administrators can configure use of &_/bin/sh_& as part of the command.
+Such invocations should be viewed with prejudicial suspicion.
+.next
+Administrators who use embedded Perl are advised to explore how Perl's
+taint checking might apply to their usage.
+.next
+Use of &%${expand...}%& is somewhat analagous to shell's eval builtin and
+administrators are well advised to view its use with suspicion, in case (for
+instance) it allows a local-part to contain embedded Exim directives.
+.next
+Use of &%${match_local_part...}%& and friends becomes more dangerous if
+Exim was built with EXPAND_LISTMATCH_RHS defined: the second string in
+each can reference arbitrary lists and files, rather than just being a list
+of opaque strings.
+The EXPAND_LISTMATCH_RHS option was added and set false by default because of
+real-world security vulnerabilities caused by its use with untrustworthy data
+injected in, for SQL injection attacks.
+Consider the use of the &%inlisti%& expansion condition instead.
+.endlist
+
+
+
.section "IPv4 source routing" "SECID272"
.cindex "source routing" "in IP packets"
.cindex "IP source routing"
. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-.chapter "Support for DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)" "CHID12" &&&
+.chapter "Support for DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)" "CHAPdkim" &&&
"DKIM Support"
.cindex "DKIM"
Edit &_src/drtables.c_&, adding conditional code to pull in the private header
and create a table entry as is done for all the other drivers and lookup types.
.next
+Edit &_scripts/lookups-Makefile_& if this is a new lookup; there is a for-loop
+near the bottom, ranging the &`name_mod`& variable over a list of all lookups.
+Add your &`NEWDRIVER`& to that list.
+As long as the dynamic module would be named &_newdriver.so_&, you can use the
+simple form that most lookups have.
+.next
Edit &_Makefile_& in the appropriate sub-directory (&_src/routers_&,
&_src/transports_&, &_src/auths_&, or &_src/lookups_&); add a line for the new
driver or lookup type and add it to the definition of OBJ.