[RAS] email problem on nebka?

[Thomas Krichel]

  Christian Zimmermann writes

> I have received a few email bounces recently indicating that nebka is 
> blacklisted by barracuda. Each time, I went to the barracuda website and 
> asked to be whitelisted. It is still going on.
> 
> Thus I google for barracuda problems, and come across this:
> 
> http://andrew.triumf.ca/barracuda-problems.html
> 

  I looked at this. Unfortunately it is not dated. And I don't
  fully understand it. I am not an email expert.

> Seeing this, I try to understand whether nebka is subject to any of the 
> discussed issues. Now, aras, aacis etc. resolve into the email 
> addresses of Ivan, Thomas and me. However, when Ivan and Thomas are 
> unreachable, messages bounce back to the sender, even if it is a pretend 
> sender. It seems to be what triggers barracuda to think nebka is sending 
> spam, it is in fact error messages replying to spam.
>
>
> I see several of those messages in /var/spool/exim4/input, for example:
> 
> This message was created automatically by mail delivery software.
> 
> A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its
> recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed:
> 
>    kurmanov at openlib.org
>      (generated from root at authors.repec.org)
>      SMTP error from remote mail server after end of data:
>      host snefru.openlib.org [128.252.177.195]: 550 Rejected
>    krichel at openlib.org
>      (generated from root at authors.repec.org)
>      SMTP error from remote mail server after end of data:
>      host snefru.openlib.org [128.252.177.195]: 550 Rejected
> 
> ------ This is a copy of the message, including all the headers. ------
> 
> Return-path: <LolaoscarPierre at gamespy.com>
> Received: from cable200-116-62-113.epm.net.co ([200.116.62.113] 
> helo=paola1af38a
> 7f8.une.net.co)
>          by nebka.uconn.edu with smtp (Exim 4.63)
>          (envelope-from <LolaoscarPierre at gamespy.com>)
>          id 1JT6hN-0001Jn-Hp
>          for root at authors.repec.org; Sat, 23 Feb 2008 21:34:41 -0500
> Message-ID: <3016501c8768d$d2cb3c20$713e74c8 at paola1af38a7f8>
> From: "Melody Lund" <LolaoscarPierre at gamespy.com>
> To: <root at authors.repec.org>
> Subject: eliminate Debt - Take Action Today
> Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 21:34:34 +0500
> 
> 
> or
> 
> 
> 
> This message was created automatically by mail delivery software.
> 
> A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its
> recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed:
> 
>    kurmanov at openlib.org
>      (generated from aacis at authors.repec.org)
>      SMTP error from remote mail server after end of data:
>      host snefru.openlib.org [128.252.177.195]: 550 Rejected
>    krichel at openlib.org
>      (generated from aacis at authors.repec.org)
>      SMTP error from remote mail server after end of data:
>      host snefru.openlib.org [128.252.177.195]: 550 Rejected
> 
> ------ This is a copy of the message, including all the headers. ------
> 
> Return-path: <dzprd at adelphia.com>
> Received: from c-98-216-51-197.hsd1.ma.comcast.net ([98.216.51.197])
>          by nebka.uconn.edu with esmtp (Exim 4.63)
>          (envelope-from <dzprd at adelphia.com>)
>          id 1JTKpW-0007QU-27
>          for aacis at authors.repec.org; Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:40:02 -0500
> Message-ID: <000501c8770c$06189f5d$a489e58c at ncalip>
> From: "don max" <dzprd at adelphia.com>
> To: <aacis at authors.repec.org>
> Subject: Men and Women need Designer Shoes, Enjoy the Direct Wholesale 
> Prices on
>   Designer Footwear
> Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:52:39 +0000
> MIME-Version: 1.0
> Content-Type: text/plain;
>          charset="iso-8859-1"
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> X-Priority: 3
> X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
> X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.3138
> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198
> 
> So they say Designer Shoes are the new thing!
> etc...
> 
> 
> What are we to do? it looks like the spam filter Thomas installed on 
> openlib.org is creating problems upstream...

  I have spamassssin (SA) on the fafner, khufu, snefru and raneb, all
  the machines that receive mail. SA checks that the calling machine
  does figure on blacklists. 

  nebka has no filter. The aras account gets hundreds of spam 
  messages a day. Not good. If you don't filter, you get more
  spam. If your machine filters, over time you will get fewer
  spam.

  Here is what I suggest to day:

  (1) move the root disk to the large disk that Bob has given us.
  (2) upgrade system to Debian Stable.
  (3) install spamassassin with settings of snefru
  (4) close aacis account
  (5) start mirorring once a week
  (6) badblock check sda

  (1) has highest priority for me but it is the only job I can
  not do. All other jobs have the risk of crashing the machine
  crashing. I am happy to do all other jobs if/when the root
  file system is moved.


  Cheers,

  Thomas Krichel                    http://openlib.org/home/krichel
                                RePEc:per:1965-06-05:thomas_krichel
  phone: +7 383 330 6813                       skype: thomaskrichel