9 Questions
Which protocol is used to encode non-ASCII format mail attachments into ASCII text for transmission?
MIME
What is the primary purpose of using the SMTP server provided by your ISP?
To prevent using any SMTP server for sending spam
What is the default port number used for secure IMAP?
993
What is the purpose of a POP server?
To hold email destined for you until you remove it or some predetermined amount of time passes
What is the purpose of an IMAP server?
To hold your email in user-definable folders until you remove or dispose of it
What is the primary purpose of using encryption in email transmission?
To ensure the privacy of your endpoint
What is the default port number used for unsecure POP?
110
What is the RFC number for SMTP?
821
What is the primary purpose of using the secure version of SMTP?
To ensure the privacy of your endpoint
Study Notes
Email Protocols
- SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) is defined in RFC 821 and uses ports 25 (unsecured) and 465 (secured)
- POP (Post Office Protocol) is defined in RFC 1725 and uses ports 110 (unsecured) and 995 (secured)
- IMAP (Internet Mail Access Protocol) is defined in RFC 1730 and uses ports 143 (unsecured) and 993 (secured)
Email Servers
- SMTP server is a daemon program that runs on a host provided by an ISP, accepting SMTP message packets for transmission and relaying them to their destination
- POP server is a daemon program that holds email destined for a user until it is removed or a predetermined amount of time passes
- IMAP server is a daemon program that holds email in user-definable folders until it is removed or disposed of
MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions)
- MIME is a coding standard used to encode non-ASCII format mail attachments into ASCII text for transmission by SMTP
- Defined in RFC 1521-1524
SMTP Requirements
- All SMTP transmissions must be in ASCII text format
- SMTP servers should be configured to only send email originated from their own domain to prevent spamming
Email Security
- Unsecured versions of SMTP, POP, and IMAP transmit data in plain text, exposing user IDs, passwords, and content to interception by hackers
- Secure versions use encryption (usually SSL/TLS) to ensure the privacy of the endpoint
Test your knowledge of email protocols including SMTP, POP, IMAP, and MIME. Learn about the protocols' RFCs, ports, and functions in email communication.
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