[ncc-services-wg] ripe rejecting "valid" e-mail

Mr Galbavy,

On Tue, 7 Oct 2003 17:39:06 +0100
"Peter Galbavy" <peter.galbavy at knowtion.net> wrote:

> Manuel Valente wrote:
> > When we created the LIR Portal, we tried to set up security measures
> > to prevent accounts from being hijacked, which include receiving a
> > fax. If members think that this process is unnecessary or cumbersome,
> > we welcome suggestions for streamlined alternatives that retain a
> > high level of authentication.
> 
> To give the history, when my company's fax machines died we never
> replaced it as 99.9% of our communications was e-mail based. I still see
> no reason to buy one "just for RIPE". This goes back to my old example
> of "You must be registered with your local Chamber of Commerce and send
> us a copy of the certificate to join RIPE" arguement. This was changed -
> but only after many years.
> 
> So, in a context, I ask you as a member to remove the pointless
> requirement of having a fax machine / number and allowing other equially
> (if not more so) valid ways of authenticating INCLUDING the real-paper
> postal service.


The whole point of requiring a fax and an email to be sent to the 
requester of an LIR Portal account was to enable us to have a fully
automated procedure for the creation of accounts: the fax and the email
are both sent by a robot with no human intervention at all.

At the time that we created this procedure, we expected - incorrectly
it seems - that all the LIRs would own a fax machine or have a gateway
to be able to receive faxes by other means.

I take note of your proposal to allow requesters to receive this
information by other means than faxes. I think it's valuable because it
allows for more flexibility in the service that we provide to the 
members and, from a technical point of view, would not represent a problem
for us to implement. But I would comment that, for instance, using a 
paper letter would require a staff member at the RIPE NCC to actually
print the letter, stuff it in an envelope and send it.

I would like the opinion of the other members on the proposal, 
considering its potential impact on the utilisation of the resources 
of the RIPE NCC.

 
> Pointless rules == Cash cow for otherwise redundent staff.


Regards.

-- 
Manuel Valente - Software Manager - RIPE NCC