Re: anti-spam WKBIs, Worsening google service reputation and abuse

[Matthew Petach via NANOG <nanog () lists nanog org>]

On Sat, Aug 16, 2025 at 5:47 PM John Levine via NANOG <nanog () lists nanog org>
wrote:

> It appears that Matthew Petach via NANOG <nanog () lists nanog org> said:
> > I think we should take a cue from cryptocurrencies, and have a "proof of
> > stake" type of
> > challenge for email messages sent out.  The recipient machine doesn't
> > accept a message
> > until the sender has demonstrated they have put some skin in the game as
> well.
>
> Dwork and Naor invented that in 1992.  Clever idea, doesn't work in
> practice.
>
> https://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~naor/PAPERS/pvp.pdf


OK, I read the paper through, and they put considerably more thought into
the calculation side;
however, this paper explicitly calls for a centralized Pricing Authority,
which is exactly what I'm
advocating *against*.  In their words:


The system requires a single pricing function fs, with shortcut c, and a
hash function h. The selection of the pricing function and the setting of
usage fees are controlled by a pricing authority. All users agree to obey
the authority. There can be any number of trusted agents that receive the
shortcut information from the pricing authority. The functions h and fs are
known to all users, but only the pricing authority and its trusted agents
know c.


And this would, in my opinion, be why it's a non-starter.  You'll never get
a system
that requires everyone to adhere to dictates from a central authority.

Instead, I'm advocating for a decentralized, one-at-a-time type approach,
where the penalty box is in the time domain, so it's easily implemented
unilaterally by the receiving side.  It's the very opposite of what the
paper you're citing proposed.

I mean, I know I'm a complete idiot, but at least shoot down my idea
for its own flaws, don't shoot it down using a paper that contemplates
the exact opposite scheme.   ;P

Thanks!  :)

Matt
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