Microsoft is now offering its Sender ID email authentication specification under its Open 
Specification Promise (OSP) program, the company said today. OSP is basically a guarantee from Microsoft that the technology is available to developers, ISPs, and users for free, without licensing restrictions and fees.
Richi Jennings, an analyst with Ferris Research, says this means Microsoft is confirming that it won’t take action to protect its patents and other intellectual property associated with Sender ID, namely its Purported Responsible Address (PRA), which is patented. Concerns about PRA’s licensing derailed its adoption as an IETF standard two years ago, although Sender ID remains an IETF RFC.
Sender ID is Microsoft’s protocol for verifying that an email came from the Internet domain it says it came from. It checks the sending server’s IP address to prevent the spread of malware, spam, and phishing emails. Dark Reading - Desktop Security - Microsoft Promises Open Email Security - Security News Analysis
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