on Tue, Oct 07, 2003 at 08:31:53AM -0700, A P (ap1269@yahoo.com) wrote:
> These f****** SWEN emails are still pouring in. I am getting about 80
> per day. It's sickening.
>
> I have added practically every major country suffix in my
> /etc/mail/access file and I am discovering new ones every day! Man, I
> am so close to blocking "net" and "com". Well, in that case I might
> just as well shutdown my email server. Although I must say that it's
> kind of satisfying to see "reject=553" messages in syslog.
>
> I am curious to find out how long it takes for SWEN to find the email
> address I am posting this from.
If you control your own SMTP server: deny mail with executable
attachments, or if you want finer-grained control, install clamav and
block viruses specifically. exim4 specifically has configurations which
make this relatively trivial.
If you don't control your SMTP server, request your ISP provide you with
the tools to:
- Deny (not block) executables or viruses at SMTP time.
- Deny (not block) high-scoring spam based on SpamAssassin (ask for it
by name) or known good Bayesian classifiers (bogofilter, spambayes,
etc.), at SMTP time.
- Provide regular reports of what mail was blocked by sender and
subject (daily/weekly/monthly), so you can track performance.
Why at SMTP time? Because legitimate senders then know that their
message didn't get through, because _their_ sending SMTP server will
generate a bounce. Your SMTP server *isn't* generating a bounce, so it
doesn't spam (joe-job) innocent third parties spoofed in headers.
I've seen some ordinarially intelligent people suggest that this is
encouraging ISP censorship of email. It's *not*. It's extending *your*
perimiter of control -- remember that I'd said first "If _you_ control
your SMTP server...". In this case you have the control. If you're
relying on an ISP, you don't, which is specifically what we're trying to
change.
Peace.
--
Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com> http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
What Part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?
Support the EFF, they support you: http://www.eff.org/
Attachment:
signature.asc
Description: Digital signature