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-----Original Message----- From: owner-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Simon Waters Sent: 09 July 2004 18:51 To: list@xxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [LUG] sendmail rejects
Hi Simon,
The real problem here is insecure machines on the Internet
Agreed, working in our AUP department I forwarded a spam to a network admin on one occasion advising it originated from their SMTP server and advising they needed to close their Open Relay. I got a reply back from "Vice President of Network Services" asking "How do I do that?" *groan* Hell I briefly ran an SMTP server myself at home using IIS 5.0 and all I did was tell it to only allow mail through from the desktop PC's IP address and the laptop. I don't think it's brain surgery. Admittedly I have never administered a huge network with many machines, but surely the principle is the same?
For ISPs with both email and web, smtp is usually a small amount of bandwidth compared to http.
True, however, speaking from the "sharp end" I can tell you it is regrettably a large resource in support manpower, with a huge number of customer contacts, not only email but telephone and letter also, bemoaning the volume of spam customers get. Personally I suggest they use one of their spare accounts for things like online purchases and use that one *only* and then I suggest they replace letters in their email addresses with numbers, e.g. mike.smith becomes m1ke.sm1th. I'd like to see the dictionary that has mike spelled with a 1 in it ;) It's never going to be perfect, but hopefully will cut out a lot of the spam. The one time it won't is if the ISP employees sell the list to a third party (mentioning no names there but I read about that one on The Register ;)). I think regarding your #3 the balance has to be struck between the one-time use of expensive manpower to set the system up, and the ongoing week after week of less expensive (per head) manpower which will not stop while the spam continues. Kind regards, Julian --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.711 / Virus Database: 467 - Release Date: 25/06/2004 -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the message body to unsubscribe.