Antispam

Tue Jul 15 10:50:56 PDT 2003

On Mon, Jul 14, 2003 at 06:07:53PM -0700, David Wolfskill wrote:
> >Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 17:18:49 -0700
> >From: Alberto Begliomini <aub at coldstone.com>
> >To: Alvin Oga <alvin at Mail.Linux-Consulting.com>
> >CC: BayLISA <baylisa at baylisa.org>
> >Subject: Re: Antispam
> 
> >Right. Except that if you are travelling, or at Starbucks, or anywhere 
> >where you do not have control over the MTA an email client with 
> >anti-spam features would help. Furthermore, this is a nice feature for 
> >people who are not system administrators and whose ISP's do not offer 
> >anti-spam features.
> 
> Huh??!?  Since when does where *I* am have anything to do with where my
> MTA is?

Here, here.   

That is, my mail client is always "here" whether I am or not - this
workstation is online, and I ssh into it.  I use fetchmail to get my
mail from the mailhub, in a way which pushes it past my individual
procmail filter.

If my own workstation is down for some reason (or I'm blocking the
outside world to it, maybe a packetfilter test) I can ssh into the hub.
If this is gonna be a long term problem, there's a host elsewhere I have
an acocunt on, which it would be safe for me to use to keep some pop
mail. pop-over-ssh of course :)

Because coding up an AI is something I haven't made time for but I don't
trust anyone else's opinion but my own about what is or isn't spam, I
don't use things like spamassassion, junkfilter, or their kindred on my
own box.  I do test with them, and aid others with them, so that I
understand enough to know how they may want to customize.

> Also, I run my own MTA at home.  :-}  (Generally, when I update the
> "access.db" at home, I also do so for www.baylisa.org, and vice versa.)

I have occasionally lifted the block list from there, as a reliable
source of info on the truly recalcitrant.  Not too sure about nailing
whole netblocks, but it's a great start otherwise!

My scheme treats my mailfilters like a secretary;  I give it really
basic instructions about prioritizing and classification, as represented
by the folders things are put in.  This is about the same as I do with
paper mail before opening it.

I have verrrry few things ever truly devnull'd;  this would be analogous 
to advising a business receptionist that if a particular vendor type
shows up, instead of giving him the "nobody's expecting you, please
wait" spiel you should silent-alarm the cops and have him hauled off.
But yes, there are a few.

For such misbheaviors, blocking at the MTA is the right answer; it's
the equivalent of the door to the building, instead of the door to my
office.  Only one person disliking the fellow isn't enough to have him
hauled off in chains;  folks have a right to determine what their likes
and dislikes are on their own.  But if everyone there can't stand the
fellow, sorry, the door won't show him the way in.

  . | .   Heather Stern                  |         star at starshine.org
--->*<--- Starshine Technical Services - * - consulting at starshine.org
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