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* dovecot: enable login names with square brackets * config: make IPv4-only relays use self-signed TLS certs * postfix: make delivery for IP-only relays work * cmdeploy: skip DNS checks for IPv4 only relays * www: generate dclogin codes for IPv4-only relays * opendkim: disable DKIM signing on ipv4-only relays * get delivery working * get tests working on IPv4 only machine * doc: document IPv4-only relays * dns: warn if mail_domain is an IP, instead of checking DNS * config: validate domains when formatting them * ci: add cmlxc testing for no-DNS relays * ci: run no-dns and normal CI in parallel * retain "config.mail_domain" as the domain part of @ email addresses, so for ipv4 relays "[1.2.3.4]" and introduce config.ipv4_relay and config.mail_domain_bare helpers. * ci: migrate from --no-dns to --type ipv4 for cmlxc compatibility * cleanup dead code, fix docs, fixate cmlxc version --------- Co-authored-by: missytake <missytake@systemli.org>
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2.6 KiB
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63 lines
2.6 KiB
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Frequently asked questions
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===========================
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What is the difference between chatmail relays and classic email servers?
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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A chatmail relay is a minimal Mail Transport Agent (MTA) setup that
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goes beyond what classic email servers offer:
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- **Zero State:** no private data or metadata collected, messages are auto-deleted, low disk usage
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- **Instant/Realtime:** sub-second message delivery, realtime P2P
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streaming, privacy-preserving Push Notifications for Apple, Google, and `Ubuntu Touch <https://docs.ubports.com/en/latest/appdev/guides/pushnotifications.html>`_;
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- **Security Enforcement**: only strict TLS, DKIM and OpenPGP with minimized metadata accepted
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(DKIM is not enforced on :ref:`IP-only relays <iponly>`)
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- **Reliable Federation and Decentralization:** No spam or IP reputation checks, federating
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depends on established IETF standards and protocols.
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How about interoperability with classic email servers?
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-------------------------------------------------------
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Generally, chatmail relays interoperate well with classic email servers.
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However, some chatmail relays may be blocked by Big-Tech email
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providers that use intransparent and proprietary techniques for scanning
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and looking at cleartext email messages between users, or because they
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use questionable IP-reputation systems that break interoperability.
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**Chatmail relays instead use and require strong cryptography, allowing
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anyone to participate, without having to submit to Big-Tech
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restrictions.**
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.. _selfhosted:
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How are chatmail relays run? Can I run one myself?
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--------------------------------------------------
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Chatmail relays are designed to be very cheap to run, and are generally
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self-funded by respective operators. All chatmail relays are
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automatically deployed and updated using `the chatmail relay
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repository <https://github.com/chatmail/relay>`__. Chatmail relays are
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composed of proven standard email server components, Postfix and
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Dovecot, and are configured to run unattended without much maintenance
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effort. Chatmail relays happily run on low-end hardware like a Raspberry
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Pi.
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How trustable are chatmail relays?
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----------------------------------
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Chatmail relays enforce end-to-end encryption,
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and chatmail clients like `Delta Chat <https://delta.chat>`_
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enforce end-to-end encryption on their own.
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The end-to-end encryption protection includes attached media, user
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display names, avatars and group names. What is visible to operators is:
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message date, sender and receiver addresses.
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Please see the `Delta Chat FAQ on encryption and security <https://delta.chat/en/help#e2ee>`_ for further info.
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