[RAS] email problem on nebka?

[Christian Zimmermann]

On Mon, 25 Feb 2008, Thomas Krichel wrote:

>
>  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.

22 October 2007

Note that your spamassassin is bouncing spam instead of just deleting it. 
This is what is causing trouble.

>
>> 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
>