Setting IMAP access control lists

About

SCS Computing Facilities has recently deployed new IMAP services based on the latest version of the Cyrus IMAP server software from campus Computing Services. One of the changes in this release is a change in the default folder access control list when new folders are created. In the old version of the Cyrus software running on postoffice.srv.cs.cmu.edu, new folders were automatically created such that anonymous users could post into them. This setting allowed delivery into sub-folders by default (using the "rdeliver -s imap.srv.cs.cmu.edu -m <foldername>" method of delivering mail).

In the version of Cyrus running on the imap.srv.cs.cmu.edu server, new folders do not have permissions set to allow anyone to post into the folder, which means that delivering mail into sub-folders of your INBOX will fail, and the mail will be delivered into INBOX instead. This change in the way that new folders are created was done in the interests of security, where the user must explicitly give permission for delivery into sub-folders to work.

This page documents how you can change the access control list on a mailbox to allow delivery into that mailbox.

Setting ACLs through webmail

Using the webmail interface is the easiest way to set folder access control lists. To log into the webmail interface, use the URL: https://webmail.cs.cmu.edu . Once on the login page, use your CS account name for the user name, and the password for your .mail instance for the password. Instructions on setting up a .mail instance can be found at this page: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~help/accounts_passwords/create_instance.html

Once you have connected, you will see a display with your mailbox tree on the left, and the contents of your INBOX on the right. At the top of the right-hand pane, you will see a hyper-link marked "ACLs". Click on this link to bring up the page to set the access control lists. You will see a page like this:



You can set the ACL on a folder by:

• selecting the folder from the dropdown box marked "Folder". In this example, I have selected the "Archive" folder which is under my INBOX.
• enter the user "anyone" in the "User" text box.
• Select the "Post" radio button from the set of permissions.
• Click the "Add User" button.

Now, you will see the result:



Now, posts into the folder "Archive" (using rdeliver -s imap.srv.cs.cmu.edu -m Archive) will work correctly.