The
vrfy command is one of the advanced SMTP command verbs (it is specified in the Request for Comments (RFC) 821). You can use the command to verify a user name. When you use the
vrfy command, the string is a user name, and the response must include the mailbox of the user, and it may include the full name of a user.
In legacy versions of Exchange Server, you can add the
EnableVRFY value to the following registry key to enable the functionality of the
vrfy command:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIMC\Parameters
This registry key is implemented in Exchange Server 4.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2). However, in Exchange 2000 and in Exchange 2003, this registry key does not exist. Instead, the
vrfy command is enabled by default.
The following excerpt from a telnet session shows how Exchange 2000 and Exchange 2003 respond to the
vrfy command:
220 test.test.com Microsoft ESMTP MAIL Service, Version: 5.0.2195.160
0 ready at Thu, 8 Feb 2001 11:34:39 +0100
ehlo
250-test.test.com Hello [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx]
250-TURN
250-ATRN
250-SIZE
250-ETRN
250-PIPELINING
250-DSN
250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
250-8bitmime
250-BINARYMIME
250-CHUNKING
250-VRFY
250-X-EXPS GSSAPI NTLM LOGIN
250-X-EXPS=LOGIN
250-AUTH GSSAPI NTLM LOGIN
250-AUTH=LOGIN
250-XEXCH50
250-X-LINK2STATE
250 OK
vrfy user1
252 2.1.5 Cannot VRFY user, but will take message for user1@microsoft.com
vrfy user2
252 2.1.5 Cannot VRFY user, but will take message for user2@microsoft.com
In this scenario, user1 is a valid user and user2 is not. Therefore, this example shows that the
vrfy command is not working.
When you run this command in Exchange Server 5.5, if the
EnableVRFY value is set in the registry, you receive the following response:
vrfy user1
250 user1 user1@microsoft.com
vrfy user2
550 User unknown
For additional information, click the article number below
to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
155684�
XFOR: IMC Support for VRFY Command
257569�
XFOR: How to Turn Off ESMTP Verbs in Exchange 2000 Server