dovecot - Aug 2006 - SPA (NTLM) Authentication

Hello

I have just spent a happy day (!) configuring Exim4 to accept 
authenticated connections from full blown Outlook clients.  That works.

Unfortunately, by ticking the "Use SPA" box in Outlook it now demands 
SPA on the POP3 server as well.

The existing POP3 server doesn't support this style of authentication.  
I believe Dovecot will.  We're already using it as an IMAP server.  What 
I'm worried about is diverting its current view from /etc/passwd.

I have an /etc/exim4/passwd file which contains three fields for the 
users tested so far, their name, an encrypted password, and a clear text 
one.

Timo has already told me that the system needs access to the cleartext  
password (or an NTLM style password) in order to work.

It would be nice if I could have the system check the /etc/exim4/passwd 
file and if the user wasn't there then check the /etc/passwd file - and 
ignore NTLM as it would normally.

Regards
Neil

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Neil Briscoe
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> It would be nice if I could have the system check the 
> /etc/exim4/passwd file and if the user wasn't there then check the 
> /etc/passwd file - and ignore NTLM as it would normally.
Well, it might be nice, but I can see its clearly implausible, having 
read through the config file and some of the referenced documentation.

So - the fact I'm about to change the user and password databases is an 
issue I'll have to put before management just before I do it.

The piece of the jigsaw I'm missing is how to actually provide SPA 
authentication.  Is it as simple as using something like :-

auth = ntlm
auth_mechanisms = ntlm
auth_userdb = passwd-file /etc/exim4/passwd
auth_passdb = passwd-file /etc/exim4/passwd

Any guidance appreciated.

Regards
Neil

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