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Re: MEI Whitelist Autoresponse



on Thu, Aug 28, 2003 at 01:03:37AM -0700, Adam McKenna (adam@flounder.net) wrote:

> Also, I don't have any hard data to support this, but it's obvious to
> me that the volume of mail generated by virus scanners in response to
> Sobig.f eclipses the volume of TMDA challenges by at least a factor of
> 10.  So far, I haven't received *one* TMDA challenge that was due to
> Sobig, but I've received *hundreds* of messages from virus scanners
> all over the net.
> 
> So, I guess we should add virus scanners to the list of verboten
> software.

My own inbox supports this statement.  140 responses to Sobig.F mails,
of which 43 are virus or other content-based autoresponders, and 97
being delivery failure messages or other autoresponders (e.g.:  ISP help
desk).

The bounces can be reduced.  The virus responses are irresponsible, and
have been for almost two years as the number of sender-spoofing emails
has grown.  I LART a fair number of the responders, report them to
spam-reporting systems, and frequently bounce the mail to the AV
vendor(s) responsible with a nastygram (procmail recipies).

Strongly encouraging virus autoresponders be disabled is also an
independent campaign I've been active in and plan to take to the IT
media mainstream.

Peace.

-- 
Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com>        http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
 What Part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?
    I managed to love simultaneously -- and this is not easy -- women
    and justice.
    -- Albert Camus, _The Fall_

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