[NBLUG/talk] disabling mail on account

gandalf at sonic.net gandalf at sonic.net
Wed Apr 23 12:43:36 PDT 2008


Turns out the redirect to /dev/null is better. The alias to invaliduser returns a bounce email instead of stopping it when they connect to smtp. These bounce messages generate more traffic and are never read by spammers. So it's slightly worse than sending it to /dev/null. Ideal is to have sendmail not accept the mail during the smtp connection.

"There probably isn't any meaning in life. Perhaps you can find something interesting to do while you are alive." - Orochimaru (Naruto)

 On Wed 23/04/08 12:34 PM , "Steve Johnson" srj at adnd.com sent:
> What about this, instead of an aliase to |/dev/null make the alias to
> 
> invaliduser, then it should return a bounce message (assuming you
> 
> don't really have a username 'invalid user' )
> 
> 
> 
> Seems to me I've done this in the past too, with success.
> 
> 
> 
> -Steve
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 12:24 PM,  gandalf at son
> ic.net> wrote:
> > Not to be outdone. I set up aliases that point to
> /dev/null in the
> >  sendmail config. This seems to work, but just accepts
> and trashes the
> >  spam. I'd much rather reject it.
> 
> >
> 
> >  I found more accounts like this so I set them all up:
> lp, mail,
> >  news, uucp
> 
> >
> 
> >  Please let me know of better ways or if I'm doing
> something I
> >  shouldn't. I've currently got postmaster going to my
> main address,
> >  but it gets a lot of backspatter and spam.
> 
> >
> 
> >
> 
> >  "There probably isn't any meaning in life. Perhaps you
> can find
> >  something interesting to do while you are alive." -
> Orochimaru
> >  (Naruto)
> 
> >
> 
> >   On Wed 23/04/08 12:12 PM , gandalf at son
> ic.net [1] sent:
> >
> 
> >  > It moved the link to "BOGUS.mail.KAQL" and recreated
> the normal
> >  mailbox
> 
> >   > "mail". Lovely.
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > "There probably isn't any meaning in life. Perhaps
> you can find
> >  something
> 
> >   > interesting to do while you are alive." -
> Orochimaru (Naruto)
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > On Wed 23/04/08 11:55 AM , gandalf at son
> [2]
> >
> 
> >  > ic.net sent:
> 
> >   > > yea, sendmail.
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > I tried that but couldn't get it to work. I
> probably
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > don't have the feature turned on in the m4
> options. In
> >   > my experience
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > I'm better off not messing with them if they're
> 
> >   > working. Or I could
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > have done it wrong.  I'll give the symlink a try.
> Not
> >   > as good as
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > bouncing the address entirely though.
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > "There probably isn't any meaning in life.
> Perhaps you
> >   > can find
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > something interesting to do while you are alive."
> -
> >   > Orochimaru
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > (Naruto)
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > On Wed 23/04/08 11:42 AM , "Steve Johnson" srj at adnd.com
> [3]
> >
> 
> >  > > [1] sent:
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > Are you using sendmail?
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > I'm wondering if you can add a line to
> 
> >   > /etc/mail/access to deny
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > mail for a
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > user?
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > One thing I have done, just to be quick and
> dirty
> >   > about it, was to
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > make a symbolic link from
> /var/spool/mail/username to
> >   > /dev/null
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > -Steve
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > On Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 11:29 AM,  gandalf at son
> [4]
> >
> 
> >  > > [2]
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > ic.net> wrote:
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > > This is indeed a tough thing to google. I'm
> getting
> >   > a
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > bunch of spam at mail at thidomain
>  [5]
> >
> 
> >  >
> 
> >   > >  [3]
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > /thatdomain/theotherdomain on my mailserver. I
> don't
> >   > see that the
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > user
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > mail should have a functional mailbox anyway.
> I've
> >   > tried a couple
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > things
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > with no success so far.
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > >  Also any suggestions on postmaster? I think
> it's
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > required, but it gets spam and backsplatter
> from spam
> >   > all the
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > time.
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > > 
> _______________________________________________
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > >  talk mailing list
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > >  talk at nblug.org
>  [6]
> >
> 
> >  >
> 
> >   > >  [4]
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > >  http://nblug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/talk
> >   > > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > --
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > "Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is
> 
> >   > enlightenment;
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > Mastering others requires force; Mastering the
> self
> >   > needs
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > strength." -
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > > Lao-Tzu
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > Links:
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > ------
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > [1]
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose('srj@adnd.
> >   > > com','','','')
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > [2]
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose('gandalf@s
> >   >
> 
> >   > > on','','','')
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > [3]
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose('mail@thid
> >   >
> 
> >   > > omain','','','')
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > [4]
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose('talk@nblu
> >   >
> 
> >   > > g.org','','','')
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > _______________________________________________
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > talk mailing list
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > talk at nblug.org
>  [7]
> >
> 
> >  >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > > http://nblug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/talk
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   > >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >   >
> 
> >
> 
> >
> 
> >  Links:
> 
> >  ------
> 
> >  [1]
> 
> >  http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose(\'gandalf@s
> onic.net\',\'\',\'\',\'\')
> >
> 
> > [2]
> 
> >  http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose(\'gandalf@s
> on\',\'\',\'\',\'\')
> >  [3]
> 
> >  http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose(\'srj@adnd.
> com\',\'\',\'\',\'\')
> >  [4]
> 
> >  http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose(\'gandalf@s
> on\',\'\',\'\',\'\')
> >  [5]
> 
> >
> 
> > http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose(\'mail@thid
> omain\',\'\',\'\',\'\')
> >  [6]
> 
> >
> 
> > http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose(\'talk@nblu
> g.org\',\'\',\'\',\'\')
> >  [7]
> 
> >  http://webmail.sonic.net/javascript:top.opencompose(\'talk@nblu
> g.org\',\'\',\'\',\'\')
> >
> 
> >
> 
> >
> 
> >
> 
> >
> 
> >  _______________________________________________
> 
> >  talk mailing list
> 
> >  talk at nblug.org
> 
> >  http://nblug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/talk
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> "Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment;
> 
> Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self needs strength." -
> 
> Lao-Tzu
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 




More information about the talk mailing list