Trying to research a few errors in my maillog relating to spf revealed an own goal by the top pished company in the world.
Taken from the de-facto SPF implemetation:
"use constant default_max_dns_interactive_terms => 10; # RFC 4408, 10.1/6 "
10 interactive terms. Ten is the default, because SPF is supposed to be a “light check”.
With eBay/PayPals current deployment of SPF they have scored an own goal. Its so complicated that it does not conform to the RFC and fails (in the defacto implementation) with a permanent error.
Take a quick look at why is fails the 10 record test:
mx
include:s._spf.ebay.com
include:m._spf.ebay.com
include:p._spf.ebay.com
include:c._spf.ebay.com
s._spf.ebay.com
ip4:66.135.209.192/27
ip4:66.135.197.0/27
ip4:64.4.240.64/27
ip4:64.4.244.64/27
ip4:66.211.161.0/25
m._spf.ebay.com
ip4:66.135.215.224/27
ip4:216.33.244.96/27
ip4:216.33.244.84
p._spf.ebay.com
ip4:67.72.99.26
ip4:206.165.246.83
ip4:206.165.246.84
ip4:206.165.246.85
ip4:206.165.246.86
ip4:64.127.115.252
ip4:194.64.234.129/27
include:p2._spf.ebay.com
p2._spf.ebay.com
ip4:65.110.161.77
ip4:204.13.11.49
ip4:204.13.11.51
include:liveworld.com
include:emarsys.net
liveworld.com
a:mail.liveworld.com
a:smtp.liveworld.com
a:mail.mccmedia.com
mx:smtp.liveworld.com
a:sjc.liveworld.com
ip4:63.80.14.0/23
ip4:208.64.132.0/22
-all (wow)
emarsys.net
ip4:81.223.46.25
ip4:81.223.46.26
ip4:81.223.46.27
ip4:81.223.46.28
ip4:81.223.46.29
ip4:81.223.46.30
ip4:81.223.46.10
ip4:81.223.46.11
ip4:81.223.46.12
ip4:81.223.46.13
c._spf.ebay.com
ip4:12.155.144.75
ip4:62.22.61.131
ip4:63.104.149.126
ip4:64.68.79.253
ip4:64.94.204.222
ip4:66.135.215.134
ip4:67.72.12.29
ip4:193.28.178.23
ip4:193.28.178.24
include:c2._spf.ebay.com
c2._spf.ebay.com
ip4:80.93.9.10
ip4:195.234.136.12
ip4:203.49.69.114
ip4:209.63.28.11
ip4:210.80.80.136
ip4:212.110.10.2
ip4:212.147.136.123
include:c3._spf.ebay.com
c3._spf.ebay.com
ip4:213.219.8.227
ip4:216.113.168.128
ip4:216.113.175.128
ip4:216.177.178.3
ip4:217.149.33.234
ip4:220.248.6.124
ip4:67.72.12.30
include:c4._spf.ebay.com
c4._spf.ebay.com
ip4:216.113.188.112
ip4:80.66.137.58
ip4:212.208.64.34
ip4:216.113.188.96
ip4:216.33.244.6
ip4:216.33.244.7
ip4:63.80.14.17
ip4:216.113.175.152
ip4:216.113.175.153
Pheww.. Do you think that’s more than 10 entries? No wonder it’s not helping 
[X] Your infrastructure is too complicated.
[X] You have more money (and networks) than …......
[X] Your good intentions went to waste.
[X] Your using a ~all record when your business dictates -all.
/*
*/
