Date: Thu, 30 May 2002 16:23:47 -0400 (EDT) From: BCPL.NET SysAdmin To: BCPL.NET News Subject: BCPL.NET NEWS: New Spam Reduction Method Implemented On Mail Server -------------------------------------------------------- NEW SPAM REDUCTION METHOD IMPLEMENTED ON OUR MAIL SERVER -------------------------------------------------------- In an effort to reduce the amount of spam (unsolicited mass e-mail) received by our customers, we are experimenting with a revised mail server configuration that rejects mail delivered to us from "open relay" mail servers listed in an online database called ORDB (the Open Relay Database). An open relay is a mail server that will accept mail from anywhere for delivery anywhere. Until a few years ago all mail servers were open relays, as was required by the e-mail delivery technology of the time. These days there is no good reason for a mail server to be an open relay, but many still are. Sometimes it's intentional, but usually it is due to mail server administrators who just don't know any better. Spammers seek out and exploit open relay mail servers because doing so enables a spammer to send out his junk mail without using his own ISP's mail server. His spamming activity is less likely to attract the attention of his ISP, so his account with that ISP is less likely to be terminated. For this reason open relay mail servers are sometimes referred to as "spam relays". Blocking mail deliveries from known open relay mail servers should reduce the amount of spam we receive. Notice I said "reduce", not "eliminate". Currently the ORDB database knows about approximately 20,000 open relay mail servers, but there are probably several times that number it doesn't know about. Spam relayed through open relays not included in the database will still get through, as will spam that is sent directly to us without using a relay. As with any type of spam blocking, there is a possibility that some legitimate e-mail will be blocked as well. Although some open relay mail servers are intentionally set up as spam relays, most are not. Most are perfectly legitimate mail servers belonging to ISPs, companies, colleges and other organizations who just don't know any better. Blocking mail delivery from those clueless sites means that occasionally a legitimate e-mail message may be blocked along with the spam. If someone reports that his e-mail to you is being returned with an error message saying "Rejected - see http://ordb.org", it means his mail to you is being blocked by our check for open relays. Please report all such occurrences to ispadmin@bcpl.net. If it happens too often, we may have to discontinue checking for open relays. It's all well and good to block spam, but it isn't worth it if large numbers of legitimate messages are blocked as well. It's also possible that checking for open relays will slow down mail delivery. I haven't seen evidence of a slowdown so far, but as I write this the open relay checking has been in place for only a few hours. I'll keep an eye on it and will discontinue the checking if it seems to be causing performance problems. For more information on this method of spam blocking, go to the ORDB (Open Relay Database) web site at http://www.ordb.org . For more information on spam (including why spam is so difficult to block), see the BCPL.NET FAQ on our Web site at http://www.bcpl.net/faq/ . Let's hope this works! Chip -- BCPL.NET INTERNET SERVICES 320 York Road Towson, MD 21204-5179 U.S.A. CONTACTS: -------- Web Site: http://www.bcpl.net Administration & Policy: ispadmin@bcpl.net 410-887-6180 Sales, Renewals, Account Status: accounts@bcpl.net 410-887-4172 Technical Support (Help Desk): help@bcpl.net 410-887-3297 Usenet News Newsgroup Requests news-admin@bcpl.net 410-887-6180 E-Mail & Newsgroup Abuse Reports: abuse@bcpl.net 410-887-6180 Domain Name Service Issues: dnsadmin@bcpl.net 410-887-6180 FAX: 410-887-2091