Exim 4.99-RC4 Release Overview
The Exim development team has announced the release of Exim 4.99-RC4, a new release candidate of their message transfer agent (MTA) specifically designed for Unix systems connected to the Internet. This version is distributed under the GNU General Public License and is aimed at enhancing email routing and message checking capabilities, featuring a unique configuration process that sets it apart from other MTAs, such as Sendmail.
Key Features and Updates
Exim 4.99-RC4 introduces several important updates and enhancements since the previous release candidate, Exim 4.99-RC3. These include:
1. Stability Fixes: Critical fixes have been implemented to prevent transport crashes during retry handling and to address an issue where Exim would crash on local SMTP servers if the `message_id_header_domain` contains a hyphen.
2. New Features: The update brings new functionalities such as the `sieve_inbox` option for redirect routers, the `connection_id` variable, and support for various events like `smtp:fail:protocol` and `smtp:fail:syntax`. Additionally, it now supports JSON and LDAP lookups and allows for omitting Exim and Sieve filters at build time.
3. Security Enhancements: The latest release includes fixes for known vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-26794 and CVE-2025-30232) to bolster overall security.
4. Expanded Capabilities: New features since Exim 4.98 include support for ATRN (both provider and customer), IPv6 address support for MySQL and PostgreSQL lookups, and enhancements to transport options for improved mail routing and delivery verification.
5. Logging Improvements: Additional elements in delivery log lines provide more detailed insights into the SMTP protocol startup sequence and new command-line options for debugging configurations.
Testing and Feedback Encouragement
As Exim 4.99-RC4 is a release candidate, users are strongly encouraged to conduct thorough testing of the software. Feedback on any issues encountered will be invaluable in refining the product before its official release. The source code is now officially closed for new feature additions, and the focus has shifted to bug fixes and final adjustments.
Availability
Users can obtain Exim 4.99-RC4 by downloading a tarball from the official FTP site or directly from the Git repository using the tag `exim-4.99-RC4`. Verification of the tarball signatures can be done with the key ID 0xBCE58C8CE41F32DF.
Conclusion
Exim 4.99-RC4 represents a significant step forward in the capabilities and security of this popular MTA. As the final release approaches, the input from the community will be crucial in ensuring a stable and robust product. Users should take advantage of this release candidate to familiarize themselves with the new features and provide constructive feedback to the development team
The Exim development team has announced the release of Exim 4.99-RC4, a new release candidate of their message transfer agent (MTA) specifically designed for Unix systems connected to the Internet. This version is distributed under the GNU General Public License and is aimed at enhancing email routing and message checking capabilities, featuring a unique configuration process that sets it apart from other MTAs, such as Sendmail.
Key Features and Updates
Exim 4.99-RC4 introduces several important updates and enhancements since the previous release candidate, Exim 4.99-RC3. These include:
1. Stability Fixes: Critical fixes have been implemented to prevent transport crashes during retry handling and to address an issue where Exim would crash on local SMTP servers if the `message_id_header_domain` contains a hyphen.
2. New Features: The update brings new functionalities such as the `sieve_inbox` option for redirect routers, the `connection_id` variable, and support for various events like `smtp:fail:protocol` and `smtp:fail:syntax`. Additionally, it now supports JSON and LDAP lookups and allows for omitting Exim and Sieve filters at build time.
3. Security Enhancements: The latest release includes fixes for known vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-26794 and CVE-2025-30232) to bolster overall security.
4. Expanded Capabilities: New features since Exim 4.98 include support for ATRN (both provider and customer), IPv6 address support for MySQL and PostgreSQL lookups, and enhancements to transport options for improved mail routing and delivery verification.
5. Logging Improvements: Additional elements in delivery log lines provide more detailed insights into the SMTP protocol startup sequence and new command-line options for debugging configurations.
Testing and Feedback Encouragement
As Exim 4.99-RC4 is a release candidate, users are strongly encouraged to conduct thorough testing of the software. Feedback on any issues encountered will be invaluable in refining the product before its official release. The source code is now officially closed for new feature additions, and the focus has shifted to bug fixes and final adjustments.
Availability
Users can obtain Exim 4.99-RC4 by downloading a tarball from the official FTP site or directly from the Git repository using the tag `exim-4.99-RC4`. Verification of the tarball signatures can be done with the key ID 0xBCE58C8CE41F32DF.
Conclusion
Exim 4.99-RC4 represents a significant step forward in the capabilities and security of this popular MTA. As the final release approaches, the input from the community will be crucial in ensuring a stable and robust product. Users should take advantage of this release candidate to familiarize themselves with the new features and provide constructive feedback to the development team
Exim 4.99-RC4 released
A new release candidate, Exim 4.99-RC4, has been made available for testing on Unix systems connected to the Internet. This message transfer agent (MTA) offers flexibility and capabilities for checking incoming messages, with a distinct configuration process compared to other MTAs like Sendmail. The latest version includes several key updates, including fixes for transport crashes, new features such as the sieve_inbox option and JSON lookup support, security enhancements, and additional delivery log line elements. Users are encouraged to test the software thoroughly and provide feedback before Exim 4.99 becomes officially available.
