5.2.8 DATA Command: RFC-821 Section 4.1.1

Every receiver-SMTP (not just one that "accepts a message for relaying or for final delivery" [SMTP:1]) MUST insert a "Received:" line at the beginning of a message. In this line, called a "time stamp line" in RFC-821:

• The FROM field SHOULD contain both (1) the name of the source host as presented in the HELO command and (2) a domain literal containing the IP address of the source, determined from the TCP connection.

• The ID field MAY contain an "@" as suggested in RFC-822, but this is not required.

• The FOR field MAY contain a list of <path> entries when multiple RCPT commands have been given.

An Internet mail program MUST NOT change a Received: line that was previously added to the message header.

DISCUSSION:

Including both the source host and the IP source address in the Received: line may provide enough information for tracking illicit mail sources and eliminate a need to explicitly verify the HELO parameter.

Received: lines are primarily intended for humans tracing mail routes, primarily of diagnosis of faults. See also the discussion under 5.3.7.

When the receiver-SMTP makes "final delivery" of a message, then it MUST pass the MAIL FROM: address from the SMTP envelope with the message, for use if an error notification message must be sent later (see Section 5.3.3). There is an analogous requirement when gatewaying from the Internet into a different mail environment; see Section 5.3.7.

DISCUSSION:

Note that the final reply to the DATA command depends only upon the successful transfer and storage of the message. Any problem with the destination address(es) must either (1) have been reported in an SMTP error reply to the RCPT command(s), or (2) be reported in a later error message mailed to the originator.

IMPLEMENTATION:

The MAIL FROM: information may be passed as a parameter or in a Return-Path: line inserted at the beginning of the message.