Microsoft KB Archive/262215

= XCON: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Messages Received with Empty To Line =

Article ID: 262215

Article Last Modified on 10/28/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 3

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This article was previously published under Q262215



SYMPTOMS
A recipient may receive a message that contains an empty To line.



CAUSE
This issue can occur if the recipient was selected as a Bcc (blind carbon copy) recipient.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
The following section of Request for Comments (RFC) 822 describes how messages that are addressed to Bcc recipients are processed:

4.5.3. BCC / RESENT-BCC

This field contains the identity of additional recipients of       the message. The contents of this field are not included in       copies of the message sent to the primary and secondary reci- pients. Some systems may choose to include the text of the &quot;Bcc&quot; field only in the author(s)'s copy, while others may also include it in the text sent to all those indicated in the &quot;Bcc&quot; list.

This behavior commonly occurs when users send unsolicited commercial e-mail. The sender enters a valid e-mail address in the To box, and then enters many recipients that the sender wants to receive the unsolicited e-mail in the Bcc box.

Additional query words: UCE

Keywords: kbprb KB262215

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